Kill Garrus Volume 1
by BumbleBeePixie
Summary: Kill Bill with a Mass Effect twist. Shepard, betrayed and left for dead by her friends and the one guy she trusted. In a tale of revenge Shepard travels across the galaxy looking for the five people on her list. Her biggest goal is to Kill Garrus.
1. It's A Nice Day For A White Wedding

**A/N: **This fiction is based around the Kill Bill Vol.1 story-line. Though I may use a few lines from the script here and there believe me when I say that it is only for the 'effect'...see what I did there? The whole point of this fic for me is to use Tarintino's groundbreaking movie (If you haven't seen Kill Bill watch it) as the overall base of the story but other then that everything else is just pure Mass Effect. This idea has been floating around my head for a while now so I decided to give it a shot, who knows you guys may like it :) Story alerts, fav's and reviews are deeply appreciated even if it's a bad one just please be constructive, I only wish to better myself.

I sadly do not own Kill Bill nor do I own Mass Effect (But it would be pretty damn awesome if I did.)

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Shepard was completely vulnerable as her paralyzed body pinned her down to the chapel's unyielding floor. Every breath she took burned torturously within her lungs all the way back up to her windpipe. Her left eye was swollen and had become bruised like the rest of her face, she was barely recognisable.

In between deep desperate breaths Shepard whimpered helplessly as she looked up at the people she had once called friends with pleading eyes.

They ignored her as they all carelessly focused their attention elsewhere.

A familiar click of footsteps echoed towards her at a achingly slow pace. The turian paused once he met her feet and towered over her battered frame.

"Do you find me sadistic?" he asked.

His words echoed inside the blood stained chapel drilling them into her mind. Shepard however, remained silent and it wasn't due to her busted lip.

Crouching down to her level the turian pulled out a cloth from his grey civvies and gently pressed it towards her face, wiping away the dark traces of crimson blood that smothered her once peach tinted skin.

"I bet you'd love nothing more than to feed me to the Reapers right now," he stated with a slight chirp of humour in his voice. His expression however was one of undeniable anger.

The turian's mandibles flared while he traced the cloth across Shepard's busted lip, sending a singe of pain to coarse through her body.

"And yet you deny yourself that luxury because you and I both know that there is nothing _sadistic_ in my actions."

He still had the same rasp to his voice, the same hypnotic rumble to his accent that you couldn't help but notice even if you were inches from death.

"To others, maybe," he continued while his talons concentrated on her injured face. "But not _us_. Not _you_."

Shepard was petrified as she laid beneath him helplessly. The Reaper threat meant nothing to her right now as he stood back up and loaded his pistol with a fresh heat sink.

He scanned Shepard's beaten body once more with his deep blue eyes while he slowly caressed his pistol. That was it. That was when the situation really hit her and damn did it hit her hard.

He was actually going to go through with this.

Shepard refused to break eye contact with him. If he really had his mind set on this then she wanted to look him straight in the eye when he did it. She saw little point in cowering away from the intimidating barrel that was soon to be pointed at her. There was nowhere to run. Even if there was a way to escape every one of these bastards her limbs refused to move, leaving her at a laughable disadvantage.

Earlier Shepard had tried to place her hands on the swollen round bump that stood out on her stomach to check that their... _her _unborn child was alright. She had received no blows to the stomach, she made damn sure of that. Throughout the beating she had leaned her face into the punches forcing the bastards to take gratitude in the open opportunity and land their strikes there.

Shepard hated to admit it but she felt incredibly weak, she was barely winning her fight to stay conscious. That was without trying to raise an arm slightly to reassure her child that she was okay and that there was nothing to worry about.

In some ways she was glad that she couldn't move and do that. It would have been the very first lie that she had ever told her child, and sometimes some things were just better left unsaid.

Shepard snapped back into her horrific reality as she caught the turian staring at her expression before his eyes slowly descended down her body to meet her bump. The hatred that plastered itself onto his face was heart breaking, it was like every bit of good in him had been drained away and replaced with fury.

She had seen that look before, back on the Normandy whenever he confided in her about Sidonis.

As far as Shepard was concerned she might as well have been Sidonis, only difference being that she was a human and nobody was about to stop the angered turian from taking the shot this time. Her crew, her _friends_, just stood around her and just fuckingwatched.

He secured the heat sink in place and aimed the the M-6 Cannon towards her head. Feeling the gun's aim upon her was unsettling enough, but to know that she got him that pistol as a gift back on the Normandy made her stomach wrench into tight knots of irony.

"Well Shepard, this moment, this is me at my most masochistic," he said in a defeated tone.

In a fucked up sort of way Shepard was proud of him. He went from being a nervous and melodramatic turian back on the SR1 and now here he was: Confident and badass as ever giving her the biggest 'fuck you' in the galaxy.

He twitched his mandibles in anticipation as his talon slid over the trigger.

Shepard reacted quickly forcing herself to speak regardless of her current state. He was definitely serious about putting a bullet in her.

"Garrus…" she choked looking past the barrel of the pistol and into his deep blue eyes, to perhaps find the slightest piece of hope.

"It's your baby -" her sentence was cut short as Garrus' bullet wedged itself into her skull.

Blood splattered dramatically across the floor and onto the audience. The present crew exchanged glances but didn't utter a word, as they left the blood bath of the chapel in a deafening silence.


	2. The Bride

**A/N: **Thanks for the reviews so far :D Just trying to build the story at the moment, next chapter we get to find out who is going to be the taking the place of the one eyed menace Elle Driver *Gasp* Dun dun duuun, ahh I joke, I joke. For those who are curious to know why I didn't choose someone like the Illusive man to take Bill's place, this is my answer: He was my first choice but after a lot of thinking, I realised that overall it really wouldn't work out. All I can say for now is, trust me on this (Y) Seeing as I'm here I have one more thing to say. You are entitled to your opinion, I respect that, so if you like this tell me, if you hate it tell me. But I beg of you, please please _please_ don't bug me about how Garrus wouldn't be able to get Shepard pregnant in the first place. I am not completely thick :) I know that their DNA wouldn't be compatible and all that yadda yadda.

Without further yazoo I do not own Kill Bill or Mass Effect. Enjoy!

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The troubled C-sec officer waited outside the crowded chapel for his boss to show up.

The young turian had been trying to tend to his hangover which stubbornly refused fade despite the amount of painkillers he took. The urgent 5am wake up call he received which ordered him to make his way down to the wards was not helping his pounding headache at all. Couldn't a guy just be allowed to enjoy his day off for once?

To say Haron hated his job would of been an understatement. His days usually consisted of mounts of paperwork and ass kissing. All he wanted was to see a bit of action, to actually use his assault rifle for once. He concluded that it would have began leaking dust from the barrel by now, however C-Sec regulations stated that every officer had to maintain and clean his weapon every three days. You couldn't let the public know just how much red tape prevented criminals from seeing justice now could you?

Haron was thankful for the fresh air at least. He didn't enjoy being cooped up inside with the forensics team. They all merged together like a superior dust ready to bury Haron with their logic and intelligence. The atmosphere inside was uncomfortable to say the least.

The young turian had wanted to see some action during his career but a wedding massacre full of humans wasn't exactly what he had in mind. The spirits worked in mysterious ways albeit fucked up ways.

The electric hum of a mauve shuttle shook Haron free from his pending thoughts as it became louder and aggressively docked beside the chapel.

Chellick strode out of the vehicle wearing a charcoal civvie outfit that put Haron's plain black and blue uniform to shame. The grey contrasted well with Chellick's piercing green eyes that were usually pinned on some of the less fortunate C-Sec officers when he reprimanded them.

The elder turian rubbed his fringe, followed by a weighty sigh and made his way towards an anxious Haron by the chapel's entrance.

The entire area had been cut off from the public as Chellick noted the turquoise laser barriers surrounding the popular human chapel. Finally someone had shown a bit of competence and followed the drill. Other crime scenes he had been dragged to were complete and utter chaos with suspects still un-cuffed and reporters lingering on the scene like a cancerous lump.

Chellick used to envy Pallin's position. These days he couldn't understand why he wanted to be C-Sec executor in the first place. He respected the now deceased turian greatly yet they rarely saw eye to eye. According to Pallin he took too many risks and yet it was because of those risks that Chellick managed to land his job.

It was times like these that the green eyed turian wanted nothing more than for Pallin to still be alive and kicking, running C-Sec like he used to. The appeal of being executor was that no one could tell Chellick what to do anymore or more importantly how to do it. However that ideology was proven wrong when the council made it distinctively clear who called the shots.

The bombarded executor was willing to bet that Pallin was with the spirits right now laughing his hide off. _Smug bastard._

Chellick approached Haron outside the chapel with a look of aggravation. There the tinted brown turian was clutching an assault rifle, a weapon that could potentially end the life of someone and the kid had barely grown into his leg spurs. He could of only have been what? Thirty-one? Thirty-two? His name was Sergeant Haron now that he recalled. Chellick remembered his familiar facial markings.

In fact now that he thought about it what was Haron doing here? He was usually scanning newcomers on the Citadel for weapons and working under Bailey. If the council spoke the truth of how serious this particular incident was then surely he should of had some of his more trained investigators on the scene?

"Sergeant Haron." Chellick greeted him with a firm nod that the younger turian returned. "Care to explain why you are not at your original post?"

Haron gulped nervously under his boss' intimidating gaze. He wasn't used to dealing with Chellick personally. In fact the two turians rarely ever said more than two words to one another during his time at C-Sec.

"I was told to help with the situation here Sir. No one else was available. The council's advisories were rather insistent on my presence."

Chellick exhaled a sigh of exhaustion. He had been deprived of his much needed sleep and was tired of feeling like the council's bitch. This was going to be a very long day indeed.

"I see," Chellick mumbled in a coarse whisper. "Fill me in on the details."

Haron shuffled subtly from side to side trying to form his words. He had a hard time admitting to himself what had occurred in the chapel only hours ago.

"Well Sir, to be honest it is a complete massacre in there..."

"How so?" Chellick prodded curious as to what was making Haron look so disturbed as he noted the turian's rapid eye movement.

Haron rubbed his fringe as a last minute outlet. "It would seem that nine of the humans died from multiple gun shot wounds. It looks like the bride was the main target, physically she is in bad shape, she took a rough beating before being shot in the head. The forensics team are still unable to identify her. All in all there were ten deaths...eleven if you count the child."

Chellick's breath hitched while his beige mandibles hung wide open loosely. "A child was murdered?"

Haron's voice dropped an octave as his shoulders tensed underneath his un-yielding blue uniform. "The bride was pregnant Sir."

The council was not lying about the sensitivity of the situation. No wonder they insisted on Chellick heading down to the crime scene.

"What was the bride's name?" Chellick questioned. It took every fiber in his body to keep his voice level after being hit with that kind of disturbing information. Years of experience at C-Sec never prepares you for atrocities like the one he was having to deal with.

"The forensics team doesn't know Sir. Her face is too swollen and bruised to confirm her identity yet," Haron shrugged in defeat.

Chellick flared his mandibles to speak when the chapel's doors behind Haron suddenly opened revealing a red headed human shakily clutching a cigarette in her right hand.

Haron instantly recognised the woman without having to refer to her name-tag.

"Chloe...I mean... Dr Michel," he greeted politely wary that his boss was still standing right in front of him. "Are you feeling okay?"

The doctor half smiled at the young turian ignoring Chellick's intimidating stare as he stood before her. "If I am honest...no. It's not everyday you see something like that," she stammered in her heavy French accent making it even harder for Haron and Chellick to decipher.

"Bet you wish you never joined the forensics team now huh?" Haron joked trying to ease the ever-growing tension that consumed the atmosphere around them.

Chloe gave a bitter laugh as she struggled to light her cigarette against the will of her shaky palms. With the help of Haron's sudden intervention, Chloe gladly took an excessively long drag of chalky grey smoke. She exhaled slowly before responding to what Haron had said.

"Sometimes I feel that I should of stayed at the clinic. Tending to the odd broken bone here and there or gunshot wound sounds delightful compared to this..."

"You're a _doctor_?" Chellick mocked as he intentionally eyed the burning cigarette between Chloe's fingertips.

The red head turned to face the elder turian and inwardly grimaced as she caught where his had gaze settled. Chloe blew the thick smoke in Chellick's direction causing Haron's eyes to widen at the awkward scene before him.

"I thought you were an executor not a judge," she challenged.

Chloe wasn't feeling too good which was affecting her performance inside the chapel. Not only was the crime scene highly disturbing but there was something else bothering her that she couldn't quite work out. Chellick's rough attitude was not helping.

"True as that may be, isn't it rather hypocritical for a highly valued doctor such as yourself being a smoker when you tell your patients to avoid that poison?"

Chloe wasn't sure whether to feel flattered or insulted. Chellick was a hard man to work out. He was just a massive chunk of oxymoron, making you feel high from a compliment then bringing you back down with a snide remark.

"You're forgetting that I no longer treat patients Chellick, I spend my time dealing with things like this." Chloe pinpointed her free hand to the chapel behind her. "Who knows," she continued playfully. "You may just decide to take up the habit after seeing what awaits you inside there..."

Haron suppressed a laugh while Chellick glared at the young doctor. She certainly grew more confident over the years he'd give her that. Standing up to Chellick was like signing your own death sentence, yet there Chloe was with an affirmative glint in her eyes.

"Sergeant Haron tells me that your team is unable to identify the bride?" Chellick questioned completely ignoring Chloe's comment with a change of subject.

The doctor dotted out her cigarette and gave Chellick her full attention while Haron listened attentively.

"Her files say that her name is 'Delilah Stalland'. But I'm afraid that is a fake. We have also tried analysing her blood but we have found no matches on the system. It's like she is a ghost," Chloe explained slowly so that Chellick could understand her through the accent.

"This just gets better and better," Chellick breathed. "I suppose I better go and see the situation for myself..."

Haron gestured towards the chapel's entrance allowing Chloe to enter first before being followed by Chellick. From the looks of it the human chapel must have been quite peaceful and delicate before bullet holes penetrated the walls and the guests. The walls were of a beige colour and matched the marble floor that was mostly drenched in thick red blood.

"Where was the groom in all this?" asked Chellick as he continued to walk down the aisle towards the still bodies near the stained alter.

Chellick never understood the deal with humans and their religions. They had so many it was ridiculous, humans just couldn't make their damn mind up. Another reason why he disliked them.

"The groom is dead Sir. We confirmed his identity as a Kaiden Alenko: A biotic who served with the Alliance. He died from gun shot wounds, he didn't get it as bad as the bride did. Seems like she was the one the bastards were after."

Normally Chellick would have a field day yelling at one of the younger officers for inappropriate language, telling their gullible faces how he could fire them with a click of his talons. But not this time. In his sights a body was sprawled out in the middle of the floor that stood out among the rest. That had to be the bride.

Chellick was certain that the lace dress the human wore must have been a pearly white before the bloodbath occurred, however it was now a dark and ghastly red. He couldn't stand seeing human blood. The chapel reeked of it and it was plastered everywhere no matter where he looked. Humans weren't exactly a race Chellick particular liked, but seeing the bride in a pool of her own blood, her face cut up and abnormally swollen…well that's something he wouldn't wish on any human.

Chellick did his best to keep his expression neutral. Haron would probably be able to read the horror on his face but Dr Michel wouldn't. The executor took delight in the little things such as humans being unable to read turian facial expressions. It was a blessing considering some of the scenarios he had found himself in back in his investigator days.

The beige turian knelt down beside the human's punctured body. "So this is her?" he stated mostly to himself.

Both Haron and Chloe nodded weakly in response behind him, no matter how many times the pair had seen the body it didn't ease how uneasy it made them feel.

Chellick examined the human's face closely, she was beaten beyond reason. Her left eye was bulging out from her face, her lips oozing with more distasteful blood while the rest of her skin was pigmented blue and purple from the bruises.

"All the other guests were shot with assault rifles," Haron said suddenly. "She was shot with an M-9 straight to the head. My take on the matter is that whoever did this had a massive grudge to settle. Kill all the guests, the groom, spirits even the priest... saving the bride for last." The young turian shook his head in disgust.

Chellick never took his green eyes off the bride before him. Every couple of seconds his pupils trailed over to her round stomach where her unborn child nestled. A terrible tragedy.

There was something about this woman, something he couldn't put his talon on. Chellick was raised to trust his gut feeling, and his gut was telling him there was more to this woman than met the eye. He moved in closer to her face, taking in every detail. Scanning for anything that might have given him a clue as to who she was.

Suddenly the bride spat right into his eye, making him leap into the air with shock, startling both Chloe and Haron. He quickly looked back at the bride, she was lying there completely still with the same uncomfortable expression on her face. Chellick angrily looked back at Dr Michel.

Her mouth was shaped like and 'O' as her eyes frantically shot back and forth between the bride and Chellick.

"Are you planing on standing there all day?" Chellick growled and before he knew it Dr Michel was knelt down before him checking the bride's stained wrist for a pulse.

"Jesus Christ," she muttered under breath when she found a weak pulse. How did her team manage to miss that?

Chellick and Haron both took a step back from the bride as Chloe called some of her team over and began attaching a breathing mask to the human's swollen face swiftly.

Chellick observed the scene before him with sincere curiosity. He couldn't work out whether this bride was lucky to be alive or not. She could have brain damage, her unborn child was likely dead and so was her groom and friends. It was hard to get hold of the situation.

Suddenly one of the doctors shoved some of the bride's red matted hair out of her face, in order to adjust the oxygen mask over her sliced mouth properly. That's when Chellick's eyes widened and he saw a very distinctive scar on the bride's neck.

The bride's condition was as stabilised as it was ever going to be. Chellick trusted his gut feeling.

"Everybody leave except you Dr Michel," Chellick ordered curtly keeping his eyes on the blood splattered human struggling for her every breath.

Chloe looked up from the bride's body, turned her head towards the beige turian and frowned. "You cannot-"

"In case you have forgotten Dr Michel I call the shots here, I want everyone to leave now!" he ordered as he cut the doctor off.

The forensics team and Haron shot uneasy glances at one another and hesitantly made their way towards the chapels exit. They quickened their pace when they heard Chellick growl in disapproval.

As the chapel's door sealed shut behind the concerned crowd all that could be heard in the blood stained chapel was the bride's un-even breaths.

"I take it you have a good reason for doing that," Chloe fumed as she held the transparent breathing mask to the bride's injured face.

"I have a good reason for everything I do Dr Michel," Chellick shot back. "You said you couldn't identify her? That her blood didn't match anyone on the system?"

The turian clapsed his hands behind his back as he awaited an answer from the red-headed doctor.

"Yes, what of it?" she asked confused.

Chellick clicked his mandibles in anticipation. "I want you to see if her blood is a match under those on the system who are missing in action."

Chloe blinked twice at Chellick and grunted before bringing her omni-tool to life.

"Hold the mask to her face while I do this." She wasn't asking him, she was telling him.

The turian opened his mouth to refuse but opted for doing as she said. He would get results much quicker if he played along.

He leaned forward and knelt down next to the bride while Chloe began her search.

The omni-tool's beep echoed inside the chapel startling the young doctor.

Chloe read the readings twice. She was unable to comprehend the results. They were 100% positive, yet the doctor had doubts.

Chellick kept his gaze on the bride beneath him as he held the mask delicately to her mouth. He noted the doctor's silence with a sigh. "Shall I save you the trouble of saying it and just assume that this is Commander Shepard?"

The red-head was lost for words. The bride looked nothing like the women she met in her clinic years ago, it was surreal.

"How did you know it was her?" she demanded.

Chellick still kept his eyes on the beaten human as he spoke and gently trailed his talon along the scar on her neck. "I remember her having this distinctive scar when I first met her..."

Chloe shut her omni-tool off and rubbed her temples. "This complicates things..." she breathed.

"Indeed," Chellick agreed letting the doctor take over and hold the mask to Shepard's bloodied face.

He stood up from the pair swiftly and went into to deep thought. He couldn't let this news become public and he most definitely could not tell the council about it. It would look bad on them if something like this was allowed to happen to one of their spectres. Chellick was almost certain that they would much rather have her dead then spend taxpayers' money on keeping her alive when she would cause more trouble than good.

Chellick had to made a decision.

"You are to tell no one about the information you have learned today. This is between you and me."

Chloe stood up from Shepard's bruised body abruptly and came face to face with Chellick.

"I do hope that you are joking," she seethed through gritted teeth.

Usually Chellick would be impressed with someone who had the balls to stand up to him, but not today.

He towered over the tiny doctor and coarsely whispered, "If anyone finds out about this there will be a political outbreak, if anyone gains knowledge of her identity then the council _will _find out. I for one am not certain that they will want someone like Shepard alive after all the time they have put into dismissing her claims."

Chloe refused to be intimidated and held her ground. "So you want me to lie?"

"I _want_ you to keep this to yourself," he replied as a matter of fact.

The doctor took a deep breath and looked back at Shepard on the chapel's floor still drenched in her own blood. She didn't like this one single bit, but she couldn't help but wonder what would happen if what Chellick said rang true. Chloe owed Shepard. She saved her life all those years ago, now she could finally return the favor.

"What do you want me to do?" she whispered in defeat.

Chellick's tensed muscles finally relaxed. He was glad the do-gooding doctor was able to see sense.

"I want you to ship her body over to a hospital that is not within the Citadel and list her under the fake identity she used."

Chloe pondered on what Chellick said and nodded. "I will do what I can."

On that note the turian turned and headed towards the chapel's exit, hoping he had made the right decision. He wasn't one to ever question himself, little did he know he would be questioning this moment for years to come.


	3. Comatose

**A/N:** Thank you guys for the reviews, alerts and favorites they are really helping me write this. xD

I do not own Kill Bill or Mass Effect unfortunately...

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Mars, a place where many humans travelled to when escaping problems back on Earth. Every person on the planet likely had a dark past which was metaphorically highlighted by the lack of summers and winters.

It rained frequently in the capital city and the sky was always smothered in dark clouds. Mars was a last resort for Earth born humans trying to avoid their home planet, for many had issues with leaving the Sol cluster where they would no longer be protected under the Alliance's authority. The universe was a dangerous place to be wandering around, especially if you had ghost from the past chasing you.

Many people who fled to Mars to start a new life were eventually tracked down by their pursuers, but in rare cases some humans managed to escape their problems and start anew. Shepard was not one of those exceptions.

Garrus had his XO tracking the coma ridden Shepard's every move. It took him a while to act on the information he had however in the end he finally agreed that Shepard had to be dealt with.

Hence the reason why Miranda Lawson found her self in Lowell City standing outside the hospital that protected her former commander, but not for long.

Her ebony heels clucked against the damp concrete as she made her way into the dismal building. Miranda had been standing outside in the pouring rain for quite a while for reasons she couldn't quite comprehend.

A few nurses shot odd glances in the XO's direction but hastily returned back to their task at hand when they noted Miranda's angered expression.

The hospital that Shepard had been conveniently placed in wasn't even vaguely aware of how important one of their patients were. That meant there would be no high security to ruin Miranda's incoming moment of satisfaction. Things would run smoothly for a change.

Her sharp footsteps echoed along the corridor as a smirk overtook her face, nothing could falter her confidence, not now that she had come this far. Miranda approached the stained blue doors to the changing rooms where she snuck in without a problem to change into her disguise. She got this far without it but decided to be on the safe side. This mission was delicate and needed to be carried out with the utmost care.

If vanity was a bomb it would have exploded half of the Sol cluster by now. Miranda's silhouette formed a shadow from the lack of light, atmospherically defining her curvy hips before she exited the room.

The hallway's lights were kind to her. She wore a tight fitted nurse outfit, the kind you would find in a novelty store next to some red platform heels. The disguised XO continued along down the brightly lit corridor lightly holding a metal pallet which supported a long syringe that was full to the brim with a deceiving green fluid.

Miranda waltzed past a conveniently placed mirror. Idealistically she was the perfect example of a human being what with her perfect lips, eyes, intelligence...arse. The fact that she was genetically altered to be perfect in every way obviously lead her down the road of being a perfectionist. Failure didn't exist in her vocabulary. Shepard tried to change her outlook on many occasions. Apparently making mistakes was what made her human. Miranda may have despised Shepard for everything she had done to not only her but the rest of the crew, yet she couldn't help but agree with how right she was.

After another stroll down the grey bleak corridors Miranda eventually found the room where Shepard laid motionless on her hospital bed. The swelling on her face had reduced and the bruises and cuts were nearly healed. Miranda wasn't entirely sure if the sudden observation displeased her or not.

She placed the pallet onto the table and took a step back to examine her former commander in more detail.

_"She's a hero, a bloody icon…"_

Miranda remembered her words as if she had said them yesterday. Shepard the saviour of the galaxy, yet there she was, helpless on a hospital bed, her life in Miranda's hands yet again. Lawson felt a sting of deja vu, 'The Lazarus Project'. How ironic that the woman who brought Shepard back into the galaxy was the same woman who was about to take her out of it again.

"...but she's just one woman," Miranda said out loud in a barely audible tone.

Thunder roared faintly outside the window while the rain plummeted against the glass, creating a cacophony with the beat of Shepard's heart rate monitor as they intertwined.

Miranda took a deep breath in order to mentally prepare herself. She wasn't getting cold feet, oh no. Lawson couldn't wait to exact her revenge on Shepard, to be the one who took her out of the universe. It was her damn nerves playing up and morality spiraling out of control.

Lawson edged closer towards the steel frame of Shepard's bed and hovered above her like a wasp waiting to sting it's victim.

"It's a shame it had to come to this Shepard." Miranda grabbed the syringe nonchalantly and began to prepare it .

"If possible, I would like you to see this from my perspective..." Miranda grabbed one of Shepard's tubes, jabbing the poisoned syringe within it. She gave one last glance at Shepard's unflinching body and slightly smirked. "I am actually doing you a favour."

Miranda's manicured fingers grasped the syringe ready to unload its contents into her nemesis.

Without warning her omni-tool bleeped to life, destroying every trace of her concentration. Miranda gave a heavy groan while removing the syringe. She wanted to savour the moment, she didn't want it rushed.

"Damn it," she cursed clicking the switch.

"Vakarian," Miranda answered trying to not sound too aggravated by his well timed intrusion.

On the other end of the line Garrus wiped his beloved sniper rifle up and down. There was not a single smudge in sight. "How is she?"

"She's comatose," Miranda replied with a bit too much enthusiasm.

"Are you with her?" he asked.

Miranda placed a hand on her hip, pleased with her efforts. "Standing over her as we speak."

"Impressive," Garrus replied in a husky voice before lifting his rifle in the air, testing the new scope he had taken the time to attach. He took a clean headshot at one of the makeshift targets aboard the Normandy in the training area. "Miranda you are going abort the mission-" Garrus was cut off by what sounded like Miranda having a little bitch fit. "We owe her more than that," he continued calmly.

Back in the room Miranda had paced up towards the the window that reflected the lightning perfectly. It resembled her anger in more ways than one.

"I don't owe her anything!" she yelled back.

"Do you want to shout a bit louder? I don't think the rest of Mars heard you," Garrus retorted taking a seat with his talons still gripping his rifle firmly.

Miranda was obedient and knew when to back down, which was probably the main reason why Garrus kept her around. She lowered her voiced into a frustrated whisper.

"I just cannot believe you are having second thoughts, of all the-"

"If you stop over-reacting for a second then I can explain to you the reasons behind my decision," he hissed followed by the sound of a thermal clip being locked in place.

"Speak," she replied flinging her arms in the air. Vakarian wasn't one to suddenly change his mind in the spur of the moment. When he had his mind set on something he did it. So why now? Why begin exploring different paths when it is this path Miranda wanted him to go down.

"You all beat Shepard within an inch of her life yet you didn't kill her, and I lodged a bullet in her skull but her heart just kept on beating. We have done a lot of things to Shepard, and if she ever wakes up we will do a whole lot more." His last words tasted sour in his mouth, he figured it was because he was serious. "But one thing we won't do, is sneak into her room at night like a filthy Vorcha and kill her in her sleep. And the reason we wouldn't do that thing, is because that thing..." He fired another round into his target, "Would lower us. Don't you agree Miss Lawson?"

His words were compelling, he had the same manipulative skills as Shepard. She knew she had been defeated. Miranda crossed her arms and let her head sink onto the window where the rain was still tapping against the cold glass. "I guess."

Garrus' mandibles twitched in amusement on the opposite line. "Do you really have to guess?"

Miranda gave a huge sigh "No…I don't…really have to guess…I know."

"Come back to the Normandy."

"Affirmative," Miranda replied before cutting him off in frustration.

Her lovely murderous plan had literally been cock-blocked. All day she had been savouring up the moment when she could watch that bitch's face squirm as the toxic coursed through her body. Damn Vakarian to hell.

Miranda turned to face her old commander back on the bed, looking down at her in disgust.

"Lucky break for you," she seethed sarcastically.

Lawson leaned in closer to Shepard with an annoyed expression building up in her ever so perfect face, "Word of advise _bitch_, don't ever wake up."

* * *

**A/N:** If you are a major Kill Bill fan like me then you would have noticed that I have used a bit of dialogue from the script. My reason for it is because I felt Garrus just suited the dialogue so well, I _had_ to do it. You only write a Kill Bill styled Mass Effect fan-fiction once right? _RIGHT?_


	4. 4 Years Later

**A/N:** Thanks again for all the feedback :) I apologise in advanced if anybody gets offended by some of the swear words I use. Also I decided not to describe Shepard in much detail at all. I keep going to type in things that hint towards her appearance but I would much rather you guys imagine your own Shepards in this badass role. On another note I just wanted to mention that I do not hate Garrus at all, he is one of my favourite characters and I feel he suits the role he has, it shows us a deeper and darker side to him that we are not use to. As for Kaiden being Shepard's Groom, I may or may not have done that just so I had a reason to kill him. Sorry Shenko fans, but the guy annoys me, don't worry I will dwell more into all the whys and what ifs later on in the story. Other than that enjoy :)

I do not own Mass Effect or Kill Bill. :'(

* * *

_Four years Later…_

The dull green colour of the heart monitors resembled how each comatose patient was feeling. Alive in nature but physically dead. All but one.

In a confined corner there laid the saviour of the galaxy, Shepard. Her hair entirely mangled while her body was awkwardly resting on the stiff bed.

Four years of her life taken away, just like the two years that were stolen from her when she died in the SR1's destruction. In the most tragic of times even death keeps its distance. A lesson that Shepard was beginning to learn all too well.

In a sudden movement Shepard flung up into sitting position, flinging her arms and gasping for sweet air as she did so. In a state of panic she scanned the room trying to understand why she was in what seemed like a hospital. Her brain throbbed as it was attacked with a cruel memory.

_"Well Shep, this moment, this is me at my most masochistic." The bullet cracks into her skull, flooding her body and mind with darkness._

Shepard clutched the part of her head where the bullet had penetrated through her. It felt as if it was hollow and numb. She flinched at the thought of the amount of cybernetics she must have within her now. When discussing 'The Lazuras Project' with Miranda back on the Normandy, the bitch had mentioned a number of times the excessive amounts of cybernetics they had needed to rebuild to her. _Miranda, _the whore who helped beat her to a pulp before witnessing Garrus load a bullet into her head.

Something else had dawned on Shepard in her moment of awakening. Something other than her lust for revenge. She dared not look down at her stomach, but she had no other choice. She peered slowly down her torso with involuntary tears flooding from her eyelids, as she became torturously aware that her stomach was flat. Her hand retreated up and down her belly button weakly as she let out a piercing scream which should have been enough to wake up the other patients from their comas.

In a whimpering mess she wailed, "My baby…" while she clutched her gown and hung her throbbing head.

Both of her palms where shaking with self pity as she lifted them up to her face. The tears had finally stopped as she turned her pain into anger and squeezed her hands into fists.

A noise outside her room disrupted Shepard from her rage. She froze, staring at the far-end door and began to panic. She heard someone whistling and footsteps approaching the room she was confined in. Trusting her instincts she flung herself back onto the bed.

A male human nurse who just barely had brown hair thanks to his receding hairline entered first with a batarian following him. The batarian did not look like he worked at the hospital.

Both figures stood at the end of her bed. She could feel their eyes on her, examining her.

"She's a beauty isn't she? That will be two hundred credits per round," the human grinned.

"Hmm she'll do," replied the batarian as her reached for his omni-tool transferring the credits to the nurse.

Shepard forced herself to remain completely still. She had just come out of a coma, there was no way she could take on two males of their size single-handedly. She would wait for her moment to strike.

The human turned to face the batarian who still had his eyes locked onto Shepard's body.

"You ever done it with a human before?" the nurse asked curiously.

Batarian's were not exactly known for being particularly fond of humans.

"Nah she's my first. I've never really understood the fascination with them."

Their conversation was making Shepard want to puke. The sooner she got out of here the better.

"Well once you get started I'm sure you'll see the light," the human chucked. "However, I need to have your word that all you're gonna do is get your freak on. That means no punching her, no marking her...basically nothing that the nurses will be able to notice in the morning. I know what some of you batarian's do to humans for fun, and this isn't the place. Are we clear?"

The batarian nodded eagerly in response, too busy eyeing up Shepard's body to take offense from the nurse's accusations.

"Good. I'll be back in twenty." The human slapped the batarian on his torso taking his leave from the room.

After hearing all that Shepard was definitely beginning to feel nauseous, but took in deep breaths through her nose trying to keep composed.

This was proven difficult however when she felt the batarian's weight on the bed and suddenly on top of her. He positioned himself between her numb legs.

Thank fuck he was still clothed and had the blankets between them.

His greasy face was inches away from hers, she could feel his breath upon her lips. _Any minute now_ she reassured herself.

"You are the best-looking alien i've had today," he murmured with the distinctive batarian flang to his voice. "For a human anyway." He leaned in closer forcing his lips onto hers, shoving his intruding tongue down her throat.

Shepard struck in an instant.

In the silent room a shriek was let out by the batarian as she used all her power to bite down on his lower lip. Shepard looked the rapist dead in the face, all of his eyes were overcome with terror.

Shepard wasn't sure what was making him scream more the fact that she woke up scaring the living shit out of him, or the fact that she was ripping his face off with her bare teeth. She concluded that it was both of those factors.

With the little force she could muster she launched the now unconscious batarian off the bed, spitting out a ghastly chunk of his face within her mouth.

Purple blood had splashed onto her white gown. Her chest and mouth were also completely covered in his blood too.

Fueled with adrenaline Shepard sat upright and threw herself off the bed. The plan quickly went to hell as her legs caved in. In her state of panic earlier over the loss of her child and actually being alive she didn't realise that her legs were completely numb and that she couldn't feel them.

"Fuck, please please please this can't be happening," Shepard coarsely voiced in her weak state.

The squeaky clean floor was hard and rough, it hurt to slam against it with that much force. But she had come way too far to give up now.

Down the corridor she heard the familiar whistling. The nurse was on his way back. She had to move fast. Frantically she thoroughly searched the dead batarian, finding a small combat knife within his pockets.

"Thank the spirits!" she swooned but then suddenly became enraged by another memory of Garrus. He used to say it a lot and it seemed to have rubbed off on her from when they were together. _The bastard._

The whistling continued to get louder. The nurse would be here any minute.

Struggling for control she used her saturated arms to pull herself along the floor into a corner.

The nurse halted outside the door and knocked twice. "Times up buddy, I'm coming in ready or not." He opened the door smoothly "Had a good ti-" his words were cut short by the sight before him. The batarian was brutally murdered on the floor in a huge puddle of his blood. "Whoa," he gasped, his eyes trained on the corpse and empty bed.

Behind the door Shepard held her breath clutching the knife possessively while she laid on her side. She had to time this just right, it had been years since she trained with a knife. She tried to remember what she had learned back in her Alliance training and tightened her grip on the weapon.

The nurse hovered where he stood, creating a perfect opening.

With one clean slice to the ankle the nurse was down on the floor, shrieking in pain. Shepard gripped his uniform, brutally dragging him to the door. She positioned his head between the metal door and the door frame.

She looked down at the creep in disgust.

"Where's Garrus?" she yelled.

Before he could even answer she connected the door to his head with an anger-fueled thrust.

In a frantic voice she screamed much more loudly than before. "Where is Garrus?"

Shepard cracked the human's wedged head with the door once again but with more force.

The human was in agonising pain and was slowly becoming very dazed out from the blows to the head.

"Please stop hitting me," he whimpered.

Shepard repeated her actions. Replying with another crack to his skull.

"Where's Garrus?"

He yelped over the surges of pain. "Argh I don't know who Garrus is," he pleaded.

"Bullshit!" she shouted, aggression clear in her voice as she carried out another slam to his bruising head.

Shepard was clearly tiring herself out, the adrenaline would only last for while. She scanned his torso which presented his name tag.

_Lowell City Hospital_

_Buck Uveeno_

Lowell City...Lowell city...Mars? She was on Mars in the damn Sol cluster? Shepard mentally face-palmed herself for even thinking that this hellhole of a hospital could pass up for a serene, clean and well staffed hospital on the Citadel.

Shepard stared down at the creep whom she had just took her anger out on. Normally Shepard would've let someone like him live, but just thinking back to his conversation with the batarian made her see red. Her mind began to frantically wonder if that wasn't the first time Buck had been paid to let somebody have their sickening way with her unconscious body. Not only that, but what other comatose patients had been taking advantage of just so he could make some credits.

"I'm doing the universe another fucking favour by ending your twisted life," Shepard growled.

There was terror in his eyes as he looked up at her.

"Wait a minute, wa-" Shepard cut him off with one last lethal blow, this time she heard something crack.

The image before her made her smile as she watched his body tremble and shake. By the looks of it he had brain damage. Good.

Taking a deep breath she began searching through his pockets. She pulled out a card which would be the one thing that granted her access to whatever shuttle he owned. Clinging against the metal card was a key ring that read 'Pussy Shuttle'.

Shepard snarled in disgust. What a creep. People like Buck were no good to anyone, they deserved to be wiped off the face of the galaxy.

After a gruelling attempt of trying to get into a hover chair, Shepard had succeeded, allowing herself to very quickly follow the signs to the the shuttle park and get the hell out of this dump before someone found the bodies.

One elevator ride later and here she was, scanning each and every shuttle, running the card along them to see if any would unlock.

Shepard suddenly froze. A pink and yellow shuttle parked at the very end. The colours were bright and clearly on the side it read 'The Pussy Shuttle'. Shepard grimaced at the sight.

She scanned the card against the door and it unlocked unsurprisingly. Now for the hard part.

The door was open but the fact her legs refused to work did not help her in this situation at all. She thought fast and literally hurled her self from the hover chair and into the shuttle. Landing on its floor she gripped the leather seats using it to pull herself up. Shepard often did the impossible and right now she needed to lay back on the seats and take a breather.

She had to keep reminding herself that she had just got out of a coma and had all sorts of horrific news thrown at her.

Alone in the shuttle she rubbed her legs eagerly. They were still unresponsive. She threw her head back in defeat sighing heavily. After a minute or so she lurched her head forward, clasping her hands together and laying them on her flat stomach. She made fierce eye contact with her bare feet.

"Wiggle your big toe," she whispered. The toe remained still.

Taking in another deep breath she tried again. "Wiggle your big toe."

As she laid in the back of Buck's shuttle, trying to will her limbs out of entropy, she could see the faces of the cunts who did this to her. And the dicks responsible. All members of the Normandy crew - What used to be _her_ Normandy crew. When fortune smiles on something as violent and ugly as revenge everything suddenly becomes clear, you have a purpose. She would hunt every one of them down to the end for what they did.

The first name on her death list, _Jack,_ was the easiest to find. But of course when one manages the difficult task of becoming queen of Omega. One doesn't keep it a secret, does one?


	5. The Man From Earth

**A/N: **I actually enjoyed writing this chapter, even though I am now completely knackered. Trying take all your reviews into account. Sorry if your not that into my choices of characters, but hey you might still enjoy the story. You never know (Y). Got some reviews which commented on how I was basically copying the 'Kill Bill' script and just changing the characters. In the middle of shouting some obscene profanities that would make Jack blush I had to face-palm myself. Reason being that they were right! Damn it all. So i'm trying to listen to the faults that were so_ kindly_ pointed out :)

Just in case I do fail at that and continue to put in more 'Kill Bill' than Mass Effect then I should probably mention that I BumbleBeePixie do NOT own 'Kill Bill' or the awesome script, they belong to the God-like Tarantino. Plus I do not own, Mass Effect or Bioware. Enjoy :D

* * *

Nobody knows where Jack was born. She doesn't even know herself. What she does know however is that she was raised in a Cerberus facility on Pragia. Living a life where she was drugged and experimented on, the tattooed brat made her first acquaintance with death when she was in her early teens.

Thanks to Shepard, Jack was able to understand her past in more depth when they reached the facility a few years ago. It was there they discovered that the other kids got rougher treatment so that Jack's life wasn't risked.

Jack owed Shepard a lot. She hated to admit it but there it was, laid out for all to see.

After visiting Liara on her ship Shepard had come across Jack's dossier which provided the commander with quite a bit of her background information. Shepard had shown the dossier to the easilly angered biotic and had promised her that they will both look into it when she had the time.

However when Shepard vanished without a trace it was Garrus who helped Jack pick up the pieces. He wasn't a spectre therefore he couldn't fulfill Shepard's promise but with his Archangel status he had some pull with Aria back on Omega.

He helped Jack get set up there after she made the decision to leave the crew, and from there on then she got more and more powerful.

This caused tension with Aria, the queen of Omega _if your feeling dramatic_. It would only be a matter of time before the biotic and the asari killed one another. But Shepard wasn't about to let that happen. She wanted Jack all for herself.

Back in the Citadel's chapel Jack had added nine more deaths to her vastly growing kill streak, making one fatal mistake. She should have killed _ten_.

* * *

However all personal satisfactions aside,

"Wiggle you big toe."

The toe moved ever so slightly. It pleased Shepard to know that she wasn't fighting a losing battle.

Thirteen hours later Shepard's feet where strong enough to hold her weight, making her capable of walking again. She eased her self into the shuttle's driver seat and took off into the air.

The pepto-bismol shuttle drifted through the space traffic while Shepard's mind tried to put her plagued thoughts into perspective. After researching the whereabouts of everone on her list, it was Jack who stood out among the files on the data-pad, therefore she would be her first target.

Shepard gleefully began to imagine all the ways in which she could end the biotic's life. Beaten to death? Burned to death? Buried alive? Whatever worked out to be the slowest outlet.

However she knew she couldn't do this entirely alone. She needed a helping hand. Someone she could trust, oh the irony of that statement. Back in the main battery alone with Garrus before he turned into an evil psychopath. His awkwardness was amusingly cute, the way he was trying to dissuade her into wanting to be with him.

_"Shepard i'm sure you can find something closer to home" he spoke quickly, curious to see her reaction but nervous about making eye contact._

_ He noticed he was still pacing as he tried to bring himself to a halt. From the corner of his eyes he could see Shepard with her arms crossed looking slightly bemused._

_"Garrus I don't want something closer to home. I want you, someone I can trust."_

_She let her arms hang by her sides as she walked over to him. Damn it now he couldn't avoid looking at her. She was right in front of him. He lifted his head to meet her gaze. Her stunning blue eyes locking with his._

_He took in a deep breath and suavely replied "I…can do that."_

Every time Shepard reminisced about a happy memory it always brought up the image of Garrus shooting her. She slammed her fist near the shuttle's controls, leaving a small dent as she continued to drift.

Shepard brought up her omni-tool trying to identify the coordinates of her contact's location…_Earth?_

That was the last place she would want to visit in the galaxy, the crowds, the noise, the obnoxious people. Living there as a kid wasn't all that bad, but it was a part of her life that she had sealed off and never wanted to reopen.

Punching in the coordinates on the shuttle, Shepard put it on autopilot deciding that she would attempt to get some sleep. The thought of what kind of nightmares she would have made her shiver.

As she drifted through space she began planning how her little get together would go, all she asked was that it be an easy and hopefully happy reunion. But being a realist she was aware that the chances were that she would need her combat knife at the ready. Well, the_ batarian's_ combat knife.

Nine hours later Shepard could see Earth below her as she descended. She was glad that being dead, _again _didn't fuck up her driving skills.

Shepard hadn't been to Earth since joining the Alliance, the bustling crowds seemed to have gotten worse as she exited her 'Pussy Shuttle' parking it in the landing district.

Tokyo, Japan. The destination for all the alien tourists who had an interest in the hectic human culture. The streets were packed for 1am, throughout the years Tokyo soon stole New York's name as the city that 'Never sleeps.'

She could see pink neon lights in the distance that read 'Suzi's Bar'. According to her omni-tool that is were her contact was.

Shepard had made a quick land at a pit-stop station before entering the planet. The looks she received were ones of horror, mind you she was still dressed in her white gown that was covered in dark purple blood.

Thankfully she didn't have to face any cashiers, she could get what she wanted just by tapping her details into the system's inventory.

In just under ten minutes Shepard had bought herself a black plain shirt, a decent pair of boots, grey trousers and cheap bottle of body wash. She made her way into the pit-stop's restrooms and washed her mangled hair and blood stained skin with the newly bought liquid, rinsing the suds off with the help of the restroom's sinks.

The commander didn't stand out anymore and she looked presentable, thanking the spirits for small favors.

Shepard strolled down Tokyo's hectic streets keeping her hand secured on her combat knife at all times.

The place may have been a huge tourist attraction but that didn't mean that it was the most safest place to walk around at night. Hell she might as well have been on Omega for all the good the law enforcement did around here.

To her dismay two turians were sitting outside the bar drowning their sorrows. Shepard wouldn't usually care nor judge, however they were blocking her way to the entrance by sitting in the doorway.

Nothing was ever simple.

Shepard stood directly in front of the tipsy turians placing her hands on her hips. She coughed loudly to draw their attention.

The turian with green clan tattoos looked up nudging his friend in the process. They didn't look too pleased about being disturbed.

"What you want?" he slurred.

"For you guys to move," Shepard replied curtly.

The drunken turian dryly chuckled.

"Yeah well I want a lot of things. I want more credits than I earn, I want better clothes, but right now I wan't you to let me drink in peace."

"Yeah," agreed the other turian.

They both leaned against the wall getting more relaxed than before, if that were even possible when lying on the floor's cold surface.

"Humans!" spat the green painted turian suddenly. "Every single one of you are a bunch of racists!"

The turian next to him mumbled in agreement and lazily opened his jaw to speak.

"Why did we even come here anyway? There are humans no matter where you look."

The green turian nodded with exageration. "You know Timone that is a good question, a _very_ good question..."

His word's began to trail off as he began staring at the floor absentmindedly.

Shepard was getting impatient, they were both too drunk to see reason.

She moved closer towards them and pulled her black shirt down to reveal her neck.

The two turians stared at her, mandibles flaring in unison.

"I'm not following," admitted the green turian after a moments silence.

Shepard sighed in frustration, adjusting her position so that the neon lights shone on the crook of her neck. The turians awkwardly leaned in for a closer look.

She had numerous bite marks in that region. Bite marks that she had received from Garrus whenever they had sex. He said something about how the bite marks metaphorically mark a turian's territory or something along those lines.

Shepard abruptly pulled her shirt back up as the turian's mandibles hung loosly in shock.

"If I were a racist then why would I have those?" she asked rhetorically.

The green painted turian grinned. The easiest way to understand a turian's facial expression was to study their eyes. His in particular had a soft mischievous glint to them at the moment.

"So…you're interested in our species then?"

"I'm more interested in getting inside the bar," Shepard shot back without hesitation.

The green turian chuckled again over Shepard's power to be unnerved by his suggestive comment. He turned to his friend who had been silently observing.

"Well you heard the lady," he said nearly toppling over as he stood up.

Shepard made a swift move for the door only to stop when the turian grabbed her lightly with his talons. She looked down at her gripped arm and slowly back up into his brown eyes with a deadly glare.

He spoke in a low voice, "You know if you're hurting for things to do-"

"I'm a busy woman i'm afraid," she replied in a fierce yet steady tone.

He gave her one last grin and released her arm. The turian opted to not cause any trouble and slightly tipped sideways as he grabbed his crate of alcohol and walked off into a baron ally with his companion Timone.

Shepard took a deep breath and shook her body as she exhaled before making her way through the bar's now vacated entrance.

Once inside Shepard could see that the bar was anything but classy. You had your asari hookers, smokers, hallix users, alcoholics you name it. This was Earth all right.

She pushed her way to the azure lit bar grabbing herself a seat next to a guy who looked like he had passed out.

Weirdly enough the music wasn't too heavy or over done. It had a rhythmic bass which sounded rather good despite the noise of the customers.

Shepard leaned forward on the bar trying to make eye contact with the bartender who was distracted by the bombardment of customers.

Bar's always did tend to get busy when it was ridiculously late.

Like a slow motioned movie sequence he looked up from pouring a yellow liquor into a glass. Shepard stared back at the fascinated bartender giving him a teasing smile. He didn't look at the salarian customer as he gave him his drink, keeping his eyes locked on Shepard at all times.

He limped over to the commander with a smug grin on his face. He met her gaze as he leaned on the opposite side of the bar.

"Of all the bars in all the galaxy the most gorgeous woman i've ever seen walks into mine," he flirted blatantly.

Shepard couldn't help but giggle. "Does that line actually work on anyone?"

The bartender gave a nervous laugh. "No, but there's no harm in trying…what can I get ya?"

Shepard scanned the list of drinks, they were definitely prices that took advantage of the tourists that visited the district.

"I'm not sure these are within my price range," she lied biting her lip in a worried fashion.

"Not a problem," he replied mixing her up a limey green drink that slithered through the crushed ice he had added. He slid the glass across the surface towards where she was sitting. "On the house."

Shepard blushed slightly but still managed to keep her cool.

"Thank you," she smiled. She couldn't believe that old trick of hers still worked.

"So what brings a girl like you to a place like this?"

Shepard sipped at her drink. By the spirits it tasted good. It dawned on her that drinking anything other than water after being comatose for four years _would_ taste good. But this drink in particular was an extraordinary explosion of fruity flavors. Shepard had forgotten how famous Earth was for their unique alcoholic recipes.

"Ships," she answered in between sips.

The bartender paused as he was mixing another drink for himself.

"Ships huh? You learning to fly or something?" he asked trying not to look too interested.

"You could say that. Why, do you know a lot about ships?" Shepard teased placing her empty glass on the bar.

"I'm not going to dignify that question with an answer!" he laughed loudly. "Pff you're looking at the best goddamn - I mean…" he hesitated and took a long chug of his drink. "Yes…I do know a lot about ships," he smiled a bit embarrassed.

Shepard leaned in closer causing the bartender to follow her in unison. They met each other halfway across the crowded counter. She stared into his eyes surprised that he couldn't work out who she was. _Four years is a long time._

"Don't suppose you would be willing to teach me a few things huh?" Shepard flirted. Oh she was going to make him _pay_ for not recognising her.

The bartender gave a knowing smile, "We could always continue this conversation upstairs…in my private quarters?"

He leaned in before Shepard could answer giving her a gentle kiss on the lips as he slid he's hand through her hair. He pulled away leaving a few inches of space between their faces while Shepard moved in closer to his neck as if to kiss him back. Instead she whispered hotly in his ear,

"I don't think that would be appropriate Joker."

The bartender pulled away abruptly and stared at her in confusion.

"Wha - what did you just call me?"

"You heard." Shepard grinned while settling comfortably back into her stool.

He limped backwards getting a good look at her. Examining each and every detail with precision. Ten seconds later his face switched from confused to incredibly shocked. _Oh he recognised her all right._

He resembled the image of a deer in headlights only with his mouth hanging wide open. He cried the only response he could muster.

"What the shit?"


	6. The Lonely Shepard

**A/N:** Ergh it took me a while to write this chapter. Sleep deprivation and going out with mates is what has been stopping me. I found it really difficult to write as Joker seeing as four years can change anyone, so I wasn't sure about how I wanted to portray him. Hmm. Review letting me know what you think :) Constructive criticism only please xD This chapter was inspired by The Lonely Shepard by Gheorghe Zamfir from The Kill Bill soundtrack :)

I do not own Bioware's awesomeness and I do not own Kill Bill (But I secretly wish I did)

* * *

"Shepard?" Joker slurred. Both of his palms gripped his end of the bar, he was either tipsy from the beverage he just drank or understandably overwhelmed with who he saw before him.

"Bingo," she uttered folding her arms in a dominantly.

Joker began shaking his head in disbelief. "No…no Shepard is dead. She's been dead for four years," he stammered.

Shepard stood up from her seat agitated that Joker was being so dismissive. The lighting inside the bar was dim, perhaps he was having trouble getting a good look at her. Shepard placed one leg on the bar swiftly throwing her other leg on.

Joker froze. "What are you doing?"

Shepard pulled herself along the cold surface, sliding off into the bar area where Joker stood and came face to face with him.

She basked under the the neon lights, that reflected a deep scar across her neck just under her ear. A scar that Akuze marked her with.

Joker swallowed hard.

"You mentioned something about your quarters," she jabbed.

Joker scanned his surroundings before nudging his head towards a back door. Shepard eagerly followed him up the stairs towards a deserted room away from the hustle and bustle of the crowds. Joker unlocked the worn out door and entered with Shepard right behind him.

At a glance his place didn't look as bad as Shepard had expected. It was large enough with a window that presented her with a view of the rough district, a double bed which was secluded from the rest of his den and a cabinet that was filled to the brim with alcoholic beverages. Joker caught Shepard eyeing it.

"Drink?" he asked casually grabbing himself two beers from his fridge.

"Sure," Shepard replied catching a beer chucked in her direction.

Joker limped towards the couch gesturing for her to sit as he took a large satisfying swig of the golden liquid.

"I never knew you was such a heavy drinker," Shepard commented as she toyed with her can.

He gave a dry laugh that made him pause his actions for a split second. "Yeah well, people change."

Shepard flinched slightly from his retort.

A cruel silence fell between them before Joker broke it by aiming his can for the trash dispenser. He stretched out his arms and sank his body back into the material couch.

"Where were you?" he asked curtly.

"I was in coma," Shepard answered. She had enough of the_ "I thought you were dead"_ bullshit the last time she had died, but she owed him an explanation.

"How? What happened? One minute you go on a mission, next thing I know you disappear of the face of the galaxy…justify that!"

Joker was no longer relaxed. His body had tensed up symbolically presenting his anger.

Shepard attempted to defend herself from his verbal attacks. "It's hard to expla-"

"Bullshit! I got debriefed on the guy you got sent to take down. He was nothing compared to the psychos you have fought; Saren, Sovereign, the Geth, Harbinger, the Collectors…there was no way that batarian put you in a coma for four years."

Joker spoke the truth. The batarian she was sent to take down was a petty thug. Some idiot who had gotten himself way too involved with a Reaper artifact. Nothing more nothing less.

"You wouldn't believe me if told you," Shepard said bluntly.

She took her eyes off Joker and settled for staring at the mystical lights scattered outside in the streets, and yet she could still see that he looked pissed off albeit weak at the same time from her peripheral vision. He_ had_ changed_._

"Try me," he offered suddenly.

Shepard turned her head back to face him. She fidgeted on the couch trying to get comfortable and let out a deep sigh for what was about to pour out from her mouth.

"Garrus…he….he shot me."

Joker read her expression, the way she struggled to speak, the way she had to close her eyes in an attempt to centre herself…

"You're serious aren't you?" he whispered in horror.

Shepard nodded in response.

Joker's breath hitched, he was going to need another drink for this. He reached for a warm beer he had opened this morning and forgot about. It wouldn't be the best beverage in the galaxy but it would have to do. He slowly slurped the liquid already flinching at the after-taste.

"Shepard…" he breathed trying to find a way to word what he was thinking. "It's not that I don't believe you but, Garrus seemed pretty upset when you didn't return from the mission. He never left the Normandy, after a month of trying to find you he accepted that you died and began mourning."

"I said that he was the reason I was in a _coma_. After the mission was complete it was my choice to not return to the Normandy. Eight months later he found me," she explained.

"Why?" Joker voiced waving his arms slightly to emphasise his point. "Why didn't you come back?"

Tears welled up in Shepard's eyes with strong momentum. As she rubbed her stomach gently Shepard was struck again with how much she had actually lost to the hands of _her_ turian.

"I was pregnant," she whimpered biting back the bile that was building up inside her throat.

The beer in Joker's mouth was quickly sprayed across his floor. "What?"

_Crap _she thought as the tears uncontrollably washed down her face.

Shepard tilted her head down to focus on the floor now covered in warm beer. She could feel Joker's eyes fixated on her. His lips were parted ready to speak but no words would come out, he couldn't handle things like this. As Joker's mouth clamped itself shut he began to wish that he had never started this conversation. Curiosity always got the better of him.

"Is that why Garrus shot you?" Joker asked, stuck in a sudden moment of word vomit. "Because you got with someone else and managed to get knocked up?"

Hatred consumed Shepard as she switched her face back towards him. Her eyes were penetrating through his shields like daggers.

"He was the fucking father Joker! I didn't sleep with anybody else. I _loved_ Garrus. He was a turian but God damn it I fucking loved him! And he…and he took my baby, _our _baby away from me."

From what Joker could see, Shepard was telling the truth. Although his brain was mainly filled with knowledge of ships and piloting, even he knew that turian and human DNA were incompatible. It occurred to him that maybe she was trying to justify what she did by saying Garrus was the father…he didn't know what to make of the situation.

"Shep, how is that even possible?" Joker questioned in a drained voice. This conversation was an emotional wreckage for him. He couldn't even begin to imagine what it felt like for her.

Shepard sat upright relaxing her shoulders. "I didn't believe it myself at first…" she began. "I found out straight after the mission, so before going back to the Normandy I met up with Mordin in his new clinic…he ran _a lot_ of tests, he told me that there was always a chance that turian and human couples could conceive. If I remember correctly he explained how the chances were like one in a billion." She gave a sour chuckle at the fact that it was her of all people it happened to.

Joker wanted to speak, but kept his lips sealed. He would only end up saying something stupid. Instead he bored his eyes into her, gesturing for Shepard to continue her story.

Shepard took a well deserved deep breath. "Mordin also explained to me the outcome of my pregnancy if I saw it through. He told me how the child could be born with physical defects and suffer from a weak immune system which would prevent him from living till his third birthday." She shook her head. "That's when he gave me an ultimatum…he said how after eight months a small procedure could alter the child physically."

"I don't get it," Joker said confused.

Shepard sucked the in air sharply. "After eight months he could genetically alter the child. The baby could be born either turian or human. Either way the child will contain traits from both parents but the modification would let the child be excepted in society, he would live a healthy life. Nobody would know he was mixed race."

"Fuck," Joker blinked. "What did you decide?"

Shepard bit down on her lip hard. "My plan was to keep the baby and have him born human. But…that wasn't entirely the reason I didn't tell Garrus. The reason was that…well I guess I was scared. Scared that he wouldn't want me to have the child - even if he was born a turian. Plus I didn't want this life for my baby." She flung her arms in the air to mark her gesture. "I am the greatest warrior in the galaxy. I have survived things that would kill most people, you want the impossible done and i'll do it. But when Mordin confirmed that I was pregnant, Commander Shepard left. All I cared about was the safety of my child. The Reapers...the Normandy…Garrus…nothing fazed me anymore. I didn't want that life for my child, and I knew nobody would understand my actions. So… I left."

"You could of come back, we would have understood!" Joker protested with a mournful look on his face.

Shepard chuckled darkly to herself and took a sip of her untouched beer. She personally couldn't understand why Joker drank the stuff by the gallons, it tasted like shit.

She scrunched her face at the vile taste drenching her throat. "Your telling me that if I had come back to the Normandy everybody would have said, _congratulations_ and be fine with me leaving the Reaper threat to someone else while I continue my own life? Do you think Garrus would have jumped at the chance to be a father and leave the life he loved so much?" she argued.

Joker wanted to fight back but what could he say? Shepard was right. Nobody would have understood her reasons. If she had come back and said she was leaving, her name would have gone down as betraying them and what she believed in. That's when it dawned on him.

"Shepard, where is the kid? I mean I can clearly see you not pregnant now and -"

Shepard looked back at the floor and began shaking. Before he knew it he was holding her in his arms tightly while she sobbed into his shoulder. He already knew the answer before she spoke.

"He's gone Joker, he's fucking gone. _My_ baby…" she wept heavily letting out painful cries.

Joker didn't like awkward situations like this, but right now Shepard needed him. At that moment he felt he had asked her enough questions. Commander fucking Shepard in his arms crying her eyes out. How could Garrus do this to her, what possessed him?

"The day after the wedding rehearsal...I was suppose to go see Mordin so he could give me the treatment. One fucking day away…oh God and not to mention Kaiden!"

Joker tensed up, Shepard felt his reaction to her words. She had forgot to mention the news to him. How could she be so selfish, Kaiden was one of his best friends.

Joker whispered his words in a concerned tone knowing her wasn't going to like what he was about to hear. "What's Kaiden got to do with this?"

Shepard clutched his shoulder tightly, preparing for Joker to push her away. "He…he was the man I was going to marry. I bumped into him when I was 3 months pregnant. He said-" Shepard let out another wail. "He said he still loved me, he said he would take care of me, help me look after the child. He didn't care that he wasn't the father…I never told him that the child was half turian but it was information he didn't need to know and would never find out once I had been to see Mordin. Now he's…he's dead because of me!"

Joker was fuming and felt a surge of pain from the news he had been struck with. He wanted to scream at her, do something to vent out his frustration. Instead he ended up clinging to Shepard even more. He nuzzled his face into her neck, breathing into her ear words that she desperately needed to hear.

"Shepard it's not your fault. You couldn't have known."


	7. All Jokes Aside

**A/N: **Longest chapter so far, Hoorah! Apologies for taking so long with this one, major writers block. That and I have been busy reading the stories on my alert list :) Thanks again for all the reviews, I will try my best to get started writing the next chapter ASAP. As always I do not own Bioware nor do I own Kill Bill :'( (Sad Times) R&R if the mood takes you.

* * *

Shepard didn't usually hug anybody. Wearing armor the majority of her life made things awkward when she did. But being a part of the Normandy had changed that. She had formed bonds with people, her crew was the family she never had. Now, they had abandoned her just like her biological family did back on Earth.

Shepard remembered how it felt to be held. Kaiden, his gentle hold that screamed out a thousand blessings back on Horizon. Tali, her tight grasp that cemented her to Shepard when she saw her father dead. Kasumi, her light hugs that she loved to give to show appreciation. Garrus…the way he held her differently every time, the romantic cuddle, the friendly hug… Joker's grasp on her reminded Shepard of vivid memory, when everyone was celebrating their survival after blowing up the collector base.

* * *

Shepard slowly walked into Kasumi's room to be presented with the entire Normandy crew - Every single one of them. The image brought a massive smile to Shepard's face.

They were spread out across the room celebrating, Kasumi stood behind the bar pouring Jacob a drink as she looked up and noticed her commander enter.

"Shepard!" she shouted a lot louder than she needed to causing everybody to turn their attention to the doorway.

Jacob howled making the crew cheer and raise their glasses to her. Shepard couldn't help but blush. Looking to her right she was not surprised to see that Kasumi had somehow manage to swiftly appear next to her. She was the stealthiest of her crew after all.

Kasumi hushed the crowed down with a gentle wave of her arm while she forced a pink liquid into the palm of Shepard's hand. She looked back at their awaiting audience and smiled as she raised her glass.

"To Shepard, the only woman in this galaxy who could take us on a suicide mission and bring us back alive!" Kasumi yelled proudly.

More cheers escalated around the room, which were silenced by mouthfuls of alcohol.

"Speech!" shouted a drunken Jacob from behind the bar using the counter to support his weight.

"Oh…no, no i'm good thanks," Shepard stuttered embarrassed, a feeling she hadn't felt in a very long time.

"Don't be boshtet!" hiccuped Tali in playful tone as she sat by the window, the stars gleaming in the background peacefully behind her.

The crew gave a roar of laughter, as did Shepard. It was funny seeing Tali so secure and confident within herself now. It was like her pilgrimage held her back from ever properly becoming an adult, and here she was fine young _drunken_ woman.

Shrugging in defeat Shepard murmured, "Well I wouldn't wanna be a boshtet now would I?"

Kasumi giggled next to her and shook her head as if to rid herself of any leftover laughter.

Shepard forced out an audible cough. "As you all know this _was_ a suicide mission. The odds were against us, nobody believed in us and yet here we are."

She mentally scanned the room before her noticing that many of her crew-members were nodding in approval.

"Every single one of us is unique, some of us have strength in our biotics…"

Jack punched her fist into the air over the comment, with Miranda, Jacob, Thane and Samara reluctantly joining her in the process. They had all definitely had a bit too much too drink.

"Some have power in their strength…"

Zaeed and Grunt clapped eagerly. "And don't you forget it!" yelled Zaeed through cupped hands.

"Some of you are the greatest tech experts i've had the pleasure of knowing…"

Ken dragged both Tali and Gabby in his arms, they struggled playfully while he refused to yield his hold. "Ahh where would I be without my two favorite lass's in the galaxy?" he joked in his heavy scottish accent.

Legions head flared at the sight before him. Ken was quick to release the two breathless engineers and stumbled over to the Geth who was not drinking for obvious reasons.

If synthetics could show emotion Legion would have definitely looked confused at the moment, perhaps even scared. Ken raised his arms in a manly gesture and shouted "Come 'ere you!" before embracing Legion in a tight bear hug. Every bystander looked bemused, especially Tali and Gabby when Legion managed to say "Cannot…reach…consensus!"

Shepard continued her speech with an broad grin upon her face. "Then there are some of the greatest marksmen i've ever seen..." she chirped, warmly smiling towards Garrus at the far end of the room.

Joker as always, ruined the moment and interjected their unbreakable stare on each other.

"Commander your too kind. I don't know how it happened, i've never fired an assault rifle before. But when you guys were racing back to the Normandy and I had that baby in my hands, I don't know…my fingers just magically caressed that trigger," he commented with heavy sarcasm. Well Shepard hoped he was being sarcastic at least.

The crew rolled their eyes, especially Garrus and Thane, the most skilled snipers on the ship.

"Joker, it's not that we didn't appreciate the help but you only managed to wound one collector out of the eight chasing us," Shepard pointed out much to the crews amusement.

Joker shrugged, "Yeah…well I didn't want to steal the show from you guys…" he said with a sly smirk.

Shepard had no problem letting somebody take credit for something. In fact it turned out to be easier for her, less questions and comments about heroics.

After setting the bomb on the collector ship and telling the Illusive man where he could shove it, Shepard was running for her life. Never before had she ran so fast, pleased to see that Garrus and Jack were keeping up with her. While running she could hear every swear word known to man - And it wasn't all just coming from Jack. Garrus had been quite vocal the whole time.

When the Normandy was in their sites Shepard remembered feeling the floor literally begin to crumble beneath her. Adrenaline swept over her body forcing her to pick up the pace. The doors swished open presenting Joker with an assault rifle, he had a badass look on his face as he sprayed bullets into the horde of collectors on her six. Garrus and Jack charged into the Normandy barely escaping a tumbling platform. Shepard noticed that the platform had now disappeared, yet she didn't hesitate and continued sprinting forward.

Reaching the end of the crumbling floor Shepard leapt in the air for what seemed like forever, flinging her arms in the process to try and get a grip of the Normandy.

As she descended Shepard immediately slammed herself onto the cold metal of the ship. It all seemed like such good idea until she realised that she couldn't get a decent grip. She began to quickly slide closer to the edge. In a snap reaction she screamed Garrus' name.

The turian was getting multiple head shots as the Collectors lined up before him. When he saw Shepard plunge for the Normandy his heart nearly stopped. He continued to shoot the abominations only to be stopped in his tracks when his name was called. Garrus glanced in the direction of the voice bringing his eyes to face the edge of the Normandy. Shepard was struggling to hang on, he didn't even know that she was hanging there that whole time. Once she jumped he assumed that she was then standing with Joker, Jack and himself.

He brought he's tactical shots to an immediate halt. In a rushed movement Garrus snatched Shepard's hand mid air as she suddenly lost her entire grip. Next thing he knew he was thanking the spirits that he grabbed her in time, noticing how light she was as he easily pulled her back up.

Tentatively touching Garrus' chest Shepard mouthed a genuine "Thank you" before rushing into the cockpit with Joker and co. following.

Shepard shook herself from her memory remembering that she was still in Kasumi's room. Garrus kept his eyes locked on Shepard protectively the entire time, he couldn't help himself. He was always there when she needed him. She mentally smiled in amusement at the understatement.

"I never had a family when growing up on Earth. Many of you know that. And not to go all soft on you guys but I feel like you are all my family now."

'Awws,' sounded across the room, with the exception of a couple of playful chuckles of delight. Shepard fought hard to fight back the tears of joy, thankfully winning the battle of self control.

She looked down at her crystal pink drink and raised it for what would be the last and final time.

"To all the badasses in this room who made it through, you've made the galaxy proud, you've made me proud, made yourselves proud. But most of all….we've made the Reapers think twice before fucking with us!"

"Hell yeah!" screamed Jack as she glugged down her liquor, soon to be joined by the rest of the crew.

Next to the neon lighted chair by the bar Mordin fidgeted continuously. "Wire attached…no response…hmm…problematic…perhaps slight kick would ensure it's reliability."

The doctor waved Grunt over who looked happily drunk in his own little world. Mordin took a step back as Grunt let out a roar and hit the machine aggressively.

Without warning music flooded the room - it was Flux's old club music.

Kasumi slid into Mordin's direction and patted him lightly on the back. "I knew you would get it working again," she smiled.

"Never underestimate a salarian Ms Goto…success deemed unlikely….krogan intervention required …glad to help," Mordin chirped.

Shepard leaned against the wall watching the room buzz with energy now that music filled the air. She couldn't help but smile blissfully to herself as she remembered the last time she heard this tune.

As if he read her mind there he was, Garrus, her turian, walking over ignoring all the commotion as the party came underway.

Thane quickly whispered something to Garrus as he was walking past. The turian lightly thumped the drell on the back and chuckled. Since when were the two of them best of friends?

Garrus took his eyes off Shepard ignoring her as he aimed his sight for the door. Shepard instantly began to feel embarrassed over the fact that she thought he was actually coming over to -

Suddenly she felt him tightly grab her arm as he walked past her. He kept his eyes trained trained before him refusing to look at her while he hastily pulled her out of the room.

Obeying Garrus' movements Shepard let him guide her into…Thane's room?

Before the doors shut Shepard rapidly looked to see if anyone saw them leave together, luckily the crew seemed too busy dancing and drinking to notice her absence. Now alone with Garrus in Life Support she began feeling nervous, he hadn't said a word yet.

Garrus let go of Shepard and turned to face her finally. He had a predator vibe about him for some reason. His eyes began to bore into her as he took a step forward. Shepard unintentionally took a step back.

"Garrus," she whispered, nervous for reasons unknown. "Did you wanna talk t -"

Garrus cut off her words by roughly slamming her against the wall. Shepard gasped in reaction. He liked it when he was in control. While holding her tightly the turian plummeted his tongue down her neck, licking her up and down with force. Shepard allowed a weak moan to escape her mouth, letting her fingers trail up to his fringe and caress his soft skin. Garrus growled over the comfort of her touch playfully nipping at her collarbone in response. He held her waist the entire time rubbing her hips that he adored with his sharp talons. Garrus continuously kneaded into her soft flesh taking pleasure at Shepard's vast change in breathless sighs.

"Garrus…" she breathed seductively. His name sounding so perfect on her lips he stopped what he was doing and connected his forehead gently with hers.

Looking up into those crystal blue eyes Shepard could feel herself melt. "I - I wanted to thank you."

"For what?" he replied stroking away a strand of hair in her face in the process.

"For getting everyone out alive, for grabbing me before I…I couldn't have done this without you."

Shepard smiled and lifted her hand to Garrus' brutally scarred jaw.

"Shepard, you are the the reason we made it through this, as you can see from that display back in Kasumi's room everyone's grateful," he stated tickling her arm lightly with his talon.

Shepard giggled, something she was getting used to doing around Garrus. This was the guy who had seen her at her worst and at her best, and seemed to care for her no matter what. Hell she could probably tell him that she was a Reaper and he would find someway to justify the situation. He was so attentive and accepting. Garrus was everything you could need and more. Shepard realised that him being a turian would never bother her, not now she knew how much she cared for him.

Once, Shepard remembered talking to Kelly about if she had a thing for aliens. If Shepard recalled correctly she replied with "You'll find love in whatever arms will hold you." Shepard wasn't exactly a fan of Kelly, but those words just summed up all of her worries about asking Garrus to 'blow of steam' with her. She daren't tell Kelly that though.

"Are _you_ grateful?" Shepard teased in a husky voice.

"Definitely," Garrus whispered pulling her into a tight embrace.

Time seemed to slow down, nothing else seemed to matter. It was just the two of them holding one another, no lust, no sex, just a hug. The action spoke louder than words, it showed Shepard that Garrus wanted to continue his pursuit with her, it showed that he wasn't just in this for the sex…it showed that he cared.

As he nuzzled into Shepard's neck he heard her sigh with gratitude. Garrus breathed in her scent, keeping his arms locked securely around her soft body. He couldn't care less how much his actions had made him seem like xenophile or a bad turian. The only opinion that mattered was Shepard's, and right now he desperately needed to know that they both felt the same way about one another. His body tensed ever so slightly not wanting to ruin the moment he was having with her. Garrus slowly closed his eyes.

"Shepard?"

A questioning hum rose from beneath him where Shepard had buried herself into his chest. She looked so peaceful.

"I love you," he declared, worried about how Shepard would respond.

The arms he expected to pull away from him trailed up his back. He looked down to see Shepard's eyes glistened over. Did what he had said disgust her that much it made her cry?

She pressed her alien lips to his scarred mandible, a smile quickly displaying itself on her face as a tear escaped her eye. Her whole commander exterior had vanished.

"I love you too" she soothed dipping her face back into his warm chest.

* * *

That was one of the most meaningful hugs Shepard had ever received. But this one? This one topped them all. Joker never showed any signs of emotion. His dignity wouldn't allow it. And yet here he was, clutching onto her as if he was afraid that she might fade away.

After a minute or so Shepard loosened her grip cautiously looking for signs that Joker was ready to pull away. Thankfully he understood her body language and released his fragile arms, tossing a few glances in her direction as he leaned back into the sofa.

He had grew his hair out a bit, got rid of the cap…kept his signature beard. At least a part of the Joker she once knew was still there.

His eyes matched hers: Puffy and red. This caused them to give a dry laugh at each others resemblance. The unspoken joke lightened the mood.

"What happened to you Joker?" Shepard asked, reasonably concerned for her friend.

Joker tried dismissing her with a wave of his hand, "It's a long story…"

"Try me," she shot back.

Joker hated how Shepard couldn't leave well enough alone. Always trying to get inside everyones' head. However her hard expression told him that she demanded an explanation for everything.

Joker dwindled into his pocket pulling out a cigarette frantically looking for a lighter. The sight should have amused Shepard, instead she chucked her lighter over to him in quick movement so that he could make haste on explaining what had happened over the past four years. _Four years..._ The thought of it still made her flinch. That was six years in total now. Six years of her life gone that she could never have back.

Joker took a long drag making no attempt to blow the smoke away from her. "Things went to shit Shepard."

The commander remained mute, yearning for him to continue.

"When you went missing, Garrus was made the commanding officer seeing as it was your choice to make him XO after we got back from destroying the collector base. Miranda of course wasn't too happy about that but hey that's life." Joker grinned at the thought of a pouting Miranda, then sighed as he went to continue.

"From that point Garrus had made it quite clear that we wasn't going after the Reapers until he had a body to prove you were dead…none of us disagreed. We were _your_ team, we wasn't about to give up on you."

Shepard could feel the tears welling up again but fought them off so that Joker wouldn't feel even more awkward. She did her best to endure the pang of guilt forming inside her chest.

Joker eagerly took another puff of smoke then hung his head as it seeped out of his lungs. "I…I found it…ah fuck it, I found it hard to deal with you being gone again Shepard. While I still had the Normandy in my hands I developed…a _minor_ drinking problem, one that Garrus tried to overlook." Joker gave a sarcastic chuckle. "Kind of hard to overlook your pilot crashing the Normandy into the Citadel dock because of drunk and disorderly behaviour huh?"

Shepard bit down on her tongue hard but it was not enough to keep her quiet. "You _crashed_ the Normandy into the Citadel dock?"

"Yeah," he answered flatly. "Not on purpose of course. I had a mere misunderstanding of the speed I was travelling at."

"What happened?"

Joker's head jerked up at the sound of the question. "What happened? What happened? They took away my fucking license to fly that's what happened. Garrus didn't stick up for me when the Council made their decision. His lack of intervention was understandable, but it doesn't stop me from thinking he's a dick."

"I'm sorry," Shepard murmured. Genuinely sympathetic for Joker, however knowing him an apology wouldn't make him feel any better.

"Save it!" he voiced stumbling from the couch and clearly limping towards his window across the room.

"I fucked up Shepard, i've paid the price for that. I had the Normandy taken away from me, _you_ taken away from me. I had nothing left!" Joker glanced back at Shepard who was sitting uncomfortably on the couch. "I made leave for Earth with Kasumi. She had enough of everything too and decided to come with me. I think she did it out of pity, but i'm not one to complain when i've got some cute Japanese girl following me around."

A light bulb came to life inside Shepard's brain. "So that explains why you're in Japan, I never thought you and Kasumi were -"

"We're not," Joker pointed out with a hint of disappointment. "We're just friends. She's too busy with Jacob…I probably should have mentioned he upped and left the Normandy with us too huh?" He sarcastically smiled as he looked back at her.

"Uh huh," Shepard agreed crossing her arms.

"Kasumi did a bit of thievery here and there which earned us enough creds to by this place. I thought she was yanking my chain when she suggested that I run the bar. As you can see she was serious…and here I am." Joker flung his cigarette out the window, shrugging his shoulders as he plodded back over to the couch.

"Where is Kasumi?" Shepard questioned patiently.

"She's…around. Pops in every now and again to make sure I haven't drank the place to oblivion. She'll be happy to see you, same goes for Jacob…that's if your sticking around."

Joker sounded really uncertain. He seriously thought that Shepard would walk out on him now? How cold did he think she was?

Shepard stood up and placed her hands gently on Joker's shoulders. "I'm not going anywhere." She smiled. "The Normandy…does Garrus still have it?"

"Yes," Joker groaned.

It was time to take action. Shepard wasn't going to sit around while people's lives were in tatters because of her and while people who wrecked _her_ life were still breathing.

"Would you mind calling Kasumi and Jacob, i'm going to need their help with this one…" Shepard trailed off emerging into a deep thought as she paced up and down the room.

"Help?" Joker asked confused. "Help with what?"

Shepard twisted her body around to reveal a big grin on her face, "Stealing your baby back."

* * *

**A/N: **Just wanted to explain my reasons behind Garrus telling Shepard that he loved her, for I do feel that seemed a bit cheesy and out of character for him. My reasons are that they had both just survived a suicide mission, it probably made him realise how much he couldn't bare to lose Shepard and therefore had to be completely honest. Then you have the issue that he had a bit to drink, he wasn't drunk but he was tipsy to the point where he was talkative and no barrier stopped him from speaking his mind. Sorry if you did find that part cheesy but I had to go with my instincts. (Y)


	8. Right Hand Of Fornax

**A/N:** A lot can happen when you're waiting for people to arrive. In a matter of seconds things can take a disturbing turn. I apologise in advance for this but I couldn't resist :D

* * *

Joker sat on the window ledge contemplating what Shepard had said.

Steal back the Normandy? The whole idea was madness, they would never be able to pull it off. Joker instantly felt the need to face-palm himself over the terrible cliche he had just put himself in.

Hell, Shepard was the woman you went to in galaxy to get the impossible done for crying out loud. Joker also had to remind himself that they were likely to have the incredibly talented master thief Kasumi on their side as well.

_This could actually work _he found him self thinking as he stroked the brown facial hair on his chin dramatically.

Tokyo's streets were less packed than they were an hour ago. Joker never had a thing for people or crowds. He enjoyed the peace and quiet back when it was just him and the Normandy.

Scratching his beard again absentmindedly he was admittedly nervous about how Kasumi and Jacob were going to react when they saw Shepard. The phone call he had with Kasumi asking them to come down to the bar did not exactly provide the pair with the knowledge that Shepard had shown up out of blue.

"And now we play the waiting game," Joker sneered to himself catching Shepard's attention.

"Hmm?" Shepard murmured looking up from a crinkled issue of 'Fornax'.

Joker jumped up from where he sat slightly startled that she'd heard him. He quickly shot her a reassuring smile.

"Nothing," he replied.

Shepards lips moved but Joker didn't hear a sound. All his attention instantly focused on the magazine his old commander was reading, _his _magazine!

He pretended he heard her every word but was still unable to take his eyes off the item within her grasp. It wasn't long before Shepard realised that she wasn't getting through to him and was finally able to acknowledge what he was staring at.

"_Oh_…" Shepard mouthed awkwardly. "Joker, I am fully aware that this is a alien porn magazine i'm not going to judge you for it," she reassured him with her signature smile.

Reassurance or no, it didn't stop him from remaining on the ledge in a stiff disposition. Shepard chose to ignore his display and continued flicking through the various pages of asari genitalia. Shepard came across an article 'Asari/Human pairings, how to improve your sex life'. _Interesting._

The text was blunt and to the point teaching Shepard quite a few things that she never really understood about mind-melding.

Minutes later after finishing the article some bold text read 'Turn the page to discover the secret to female human and asari relationships.' Shepard wasn't really into asari but she had to admit it didn't stop her from being curious.

In an attempt to turn the page Shepard came across a conundrum. The pages with the withheld information refused to open, they were practically stuck together. No matter how much Shepard tried the pages just wouldn't let go of one another, conjoined as if someone decided to glue them together.

Frustrated about the mishap Shepard continued to try and tear the pages apart.

"Joker what the fuck? Have you spilt coffee on this of something?" she voiced still trying to free the pages.

Joker kept his face turned to the window throughout the entire struggle. He took yet another cautious sip of his beer.

Shepard paused her actions, holding the magazine in mid air. "Earth to Joker?"

Joker inwardly groaned, _she wasn't going to leave this alone was she?_

"Shepard it's a porn magazine!" he exhaled bluntly still staring at the neon lights outside.

"I'm fully aware of that Joker, but why are the damn pages stuck together? There's an article I wanted to read." She spoke in a innocent tone which sounded so unlike her.

Joker directed his gaze to Shepard with a very uncomfortable expression spread on his face. He tried to think of how he could word his explanation knowing that a simple _"Can't we just forget about this?_" wouldn't cut it.

Joker began his explanation as if he was about to give the sex talk, which amused him slightly.

He moved his hands as he spoke for more emphasis. "Shepard...when a man is in need of a woman…but…has trouble getting one, he is reduced to buying a magazine, the likes of which you are holding right now."

Shepard continued to stare at him blankly, she still wasn't getting it.

"Maybe i'm not being clear enough," he muttered with a sigh. Joker tried his luck again and continued to speak slowly. "That magazine provides a guy with enough material to…release some tension…" Joker squirmed at his words. This was getting ridiculous.

Shepard shot back a reply instantly. "Your point?"

"I've jerked off to it!" The words were out of his mouth before he could stop himself. Silence fuelled the awkward atmosphere as he felt her disgusted eyes on him.

"That doesn't explain why the pages are sticky…" she mumbled barely containing her confusion.

How Joker managed to keep a straight face he had no idea. He flung his head to meet Shepard, arching one eyebrow in the process that said it all.

Shepard was about to speak before it finally dawned on her.

"Oh my Spirits, ew!"she freaked, flinging the dirty magazine across the room.

Joker barely contained his laugh as he leaned back against the ledge. A shocking confession, a crumpled up, _sticky_ copy of 'Fornax' and a scarred for life Shepard on his couch in a foetal position.

What the hell was taking Kasumi and Jacob so long?


	9. Tokyo Reunion

**A/N**: I have been suffering from writer's block and it has been awful. Usually I write and it happens naturally but this chapter was such a struggle i'm not even sure if i'm pleased with the outcome. However I do hope you enjoy it. I plan on getting more into the back story of these guys in the next chapter but for now I wanna get the ball rolling xD You know those little comments you make when your reading a story like "Oh this is dull" or "OMG THIS IS SOO GOOD." Please please please feel free to quickly tell me that in a review. If you're gonna hate as always please be constructive, I need to learn, I need guidance. Especially with this chapter, the force disappeared and some damned asari weakened my integrity :/

I do not own Bioware, Mass Effect, or Kill Bill...*Cries in a corner*

* * *

Joker gave up trying to make conversation with Shepard. No matter how many times he apologised she still refused to look at him. It was _his_ damn magazine, _his _place, he had every right to do as he pleases.

A whistle from outside the window caught his attention. There she was. Kasumi. Her dark hair reflecting the dazzling Tokyo lights as it wavered faintly in the early breeze.

Jacob was with her of course, like he always was. A mischievous grin stuck on his face. He wore the expression well, hell he had every right to it seeing as he had Kasumi wrapped in his arms.

Joker was never that fond of Jacob, probably because he had got his hooks into Kasumi. However his jealousy didn't stop him from admitting that they suited one another.

The Japanese girl shot a wink up to Joker at the window waving a finger signalling that she'll be up there in a minute.

"Kasumi's here," Joker swooned, more to himself than to Shepard.

Shepard bolted up from the couch to a cracked mirror next to his bed. She began fidgeting uncontrollably with her hair, every so often adjusting her breasts. Was it he weird he noticed that? Maybe he_ had _drank too much tonight.

"Do I look okay?" Shepard asked concerned. She took her focus off the mirror to face him, she looked profoundly worried.

"Uh…you look good," Joker managed to say, his voice going more high pitched than usual.

"Really?" she replied unsure.

"Yeah…for someone who's been in a four year coma." He chuckled turning his attention to a knock on his door.

Joker slid off the ledge and limped for the entry panel. Kasumi stood there with a hand placed on her hip.

"You called?" she said before raising an eyebrow.

Joker tried to act completely relaxed and cool, however it was easier said then done. There was something about Kasumi that made him weak and it wasn't just his hollow bones caving in. Her very presence got him nervous and jittering like a school boy all over again, God it was embarrassing. But it was moments like these, Kasumi standing in his doorway, him standing opposite where he liked to pretend that she was _his_. Even if the moments were usually smashed with the presence of Jacob by her side, it was nice to soak up a few minutes of pleasure.

Joker steadied himself and attempted a sexy smile, all the while trying to look as laid-back as possible. "I sure did, come in."

Kasumi gave her unique laugh before waltzing into his apartment. Jacob followed her like the love sick puppy that he was before Joker spoke again.

"There's someone here i'd like you to meet," he announced locking the door behind him.

Over his shoulder he caught Kasumi eyeing his possessions. _Good luck finding something worth of value_, he thought.

Kasumi wasn't too fond of how Joker kept his place yet the aggravation always turned into amusement. Physically Joker was well kept…for an alcoholic. His trademark beard trimmed and neat along with the faint smell of cologne on his person. On the other hand his apartment was always clattered and flung about. Dirty wasn't the word exactly, more like unkept. The only thing in his space that Joker dedicated his perfection and time on was his beer-can wall. A long row of empty cans, something you could only find on Earth. Cans of drink weren't really popular outside the Local cluster. Another thing that made the humans seem like a unique race.

A bright smile lit Kasumi's face. "And who will that be?" she asked shooting a confused glance towards Jacob who had already spaced himself out on Joker's couch.

"Kasumi?" came a voice from the bathroom.

The thief's gaze quickly left Jacob to observe the bathroom doorway. A woman's shadow stood there only to outline long legs and a feminine frame. With a clang in her footsteps the shadowed figure appeared under the apartment's light.

"Shepard?" Kasumi choked.

In an attempt to speak again Shepard was quickly driven to halt as Kasumi flashed up before her pulling Shepard close into a tight hug.

"It's been too long," Kasumi beamed keeping her head tucked into her ex -commander's shoulder not prepared to let go anytime soon.

From the corner of his eye Joker noticed that Jacob had been staring for a while. The man's eyes were near enough popping out of his head the poor bastard. So much for a relaxing evening.

Shepard withdrew from Kasumi's hold looking the thief up and down. _She had changed. _No longer wearing a hood to conceal most of her appearance Shepard was able to observe Kasumi's long shiny hair. It was a midnight black with highlights of dark red that matched the lipstick painted on her lips. It was funny how in four years Kasumi physically changed from looking the cute Japanese girl to a sexy Japanese temptress. Judging by the way Joker and Jacob were eyeing the woman in the background, it dawned on Shepard that Kasumi must have got her fair share of male attention these days.

"How have you been? Joker tells me you own this bar," Shepard tried to make conversation as she fought back some tears.

Kasumi gave a half hearted laugh inclining her head back to Joker. "He's right, I bought the place when we moved here. I let Joker run the bar when i'm away…and i've been good I guess. I'm trying to stop my little addiction." She raised two fingers to mimic an inch emphasising the "little".

"You have a drinking problem too?" Shepard asked unable to hide the shock in her voice.

"Hey!" Joker defended himself. "I can stop drinking whenever I want…I just choose not to."

Jacob shook his head while he laughed on the couch.

Kasumi rolled her eyes at Shepard. "No, my _minor_ addiction of thievery. I haven't stolen anything for five weeks," she relished.

Shepard was clearly amused at the thief's confession no matter how much she tried to hide her grin.

"What was the last thing you stole?" Shepard asked.

Kasumi raised a finger to hush Shepard inclining her head back at Joker.

In a low whisper Kasumi said "That's something I can't really mention here…i'll tell you later."

Shepard shot Kasumi a knowing smile before proceeding into the living room getting a good view of her friend.

Jacob still looked in good shape, nothing had really changed about him besides the fact he grew his hair an inch or two. Her old friend stood up from the couch and held his hand out to Shepard.

"Shepard, never thought i'd see your face again," he smiled.

"Same," Shepard agreed gripping Jacob's hand.

Jacob suddenly pulled Shepard to into his chest suffocating her with his strength. He gripped Shepard's waist holding her in place.

"You just can't help but avoid death can you?" he joked.

Shepard's lungs were continuously struggling for air in his tight hold.

"Er…Jacob…can't…breathe!" she gasped.

He released her quickly and moved his hands to hold her shoulders looking her dead in the eye.

"Sorry Shepard, it's just…it's good to see your okay," he said with a genuine smile.

Shepard and Jacob became close back on the Normandy. Like she did with all the crew, Shepard took the time to chat with him before and after assignments.

Jacob was the man who took care of all the weapons. If your gun was broken, Jacob was the guy who would fix it for you. Back before things went to hell Shepard remembered that just after the Collector mission Garrus found out to his dismay that his sniper rifle had broke. Snapped in half after meeting it's fate to a earthquake of rubble when Garrus, Shepard and Tali went planet-side to respond to a distress signal one day.

Shepard had sent her turian to Jacob only to have him come back depressed because Jacob explained to him how there was no way he could fix it. It was the one time Jacob couldn't do his job, the one time she saw Zaeed step in and lend a hand.

* * *

"Taylor there must be something you can do," Garrus pleaded.

Shepard observed the conversation while she sat on the table next to Jacob's console. Garrus to Shepard's surprise looked severely upset about this predicament.

He loved his sniper rifle, it meant the world to him. Shepard had bought him a new one after she witnessed Garrus spare Sidonis, it was the least she could do. Since buying him the pristine rifle Garrus never left it behind. He took it on every mission and was always insistent on using it even in close range combat.

"Garrus for the last time it is _snapped_ in half, I am many things but I ain't no miracle worker!" Jacob shot back breaking a pencil in the process to prove his point.

The turian eyed his prized gun stretched out on the work bench in the same way as someone watching their fatally ill friend in a hospital bed. With a mournful sigh he gently caressed the rifle slowly along it's barrel.

If the situation wasn't so ridiculous the scene would have moved Shepard. She didn't utter a word about how she would just buy him a new one and let Garrus do whatever he needed to do to cope.

"I know quite a bit about guns you know," commented a manly figure who had just entered the room.

A mist of cigar smoke cleared before Shepard could see that it was none other than the mercenary Zaeed.

Jacob was unimpressed, folding his arms as he leaned back against he console. He didn't exactly keep his prejudice against mercenaries a secret and had no reason to be civil to Zaeed.

"Is that so?" Jacob challenged him.

Zaeed didn't give any attention to Jacob, making the soldier's theory of his prejudice being public knowledge seem quite true.

Zaeed aimed his words at Shepard, catching the commander eyeing the massive scar on his face a few times. "I was taking guns apart and putting them back together while cocky bastards like him…" the mercenary inclined his head back at Jacob. "…were still learning how to not wet the fucking bed."

"Your point?" Shepard asked amused.

Zaeed paced up and down the room connoting the power he held over poor Jacob at that moment.

"My point Shepard is, give me that rifle and i'll have her fixed for you in say a week or so?" Massani explained, a faint grin on his ravished face appearing.

Shepard tried to conceal how impressed she was with his statement. Before she could speak Jacob butted in.

"Sorry Grandpa but i'm afraid that even your so called expertise is not going to fix that rifle," the officer chimed with much pessimism.

Garrus raised his arms at Jacob in frustration. "Damn it Jacob i'm willing to try anything. If he says he's got an idea and he can fix it then that's that!"

Jacob adjusted himself from the console a tad startled from Garrus' intervention.

Zaeed glared at Garrus and gave a raspy chuckle. "I know how ya feel mate. I'd give anything to have Jessie back again…" his voice trailed off as if remembering the good old days with his prized gun.

It astonished Shepard how someone so cold and ruthless could feel such strong feelings towards an inanimate object. He patted Garrus with force on his shoulder shaking his head before mournfully grabbing the snapped rifle and heading out the door.

Jacob went back to his console updating the upgrades on the new pistols sent from Cerberus. Weirdly after the whole suicide mission fiasco, The Illusive Man still let Cerberus fund the Normandy with credits and weaponry.

Shepard had no idea what the blue eyed dick was playing at. She refused an order and is partially the reason why Miranda resigned. Maybe Shepard was no longer in the doghouse. This Reaper threat was big and she was ready to take any hands willing to help, including Cerberus.

Shepard glanced at Garrus sitting across the room with his head hung low. She approached him cautiously and placed her hand on his scarred mandible.

"Don't worry Garrus, i'm sure he'll fix it," she smiled

Shaking his head Garrus sighed. "I'm just surprised he even offered to help."

Shepard gave a disbelieving laugh. "I know right, hey what do you say we go to the Citadel and have a drink or two with the crew?"

"I say what the hell, I need a drink." He grinned and slowly got up from the desk.

Returning the smile Shepard began to walk out of the gunnery giving a faint wave to Jacob.

"Shepard?" Garrus called.

"Yes?" she asked turning back to face the turian.

"Who is Jessie?"

* * *

Kasumi delicately dimmed the lights within the room before offering Shepard a seat.

Shepard quickly raised a questioning eyebrow at Joker to which he replied with a shrug.

The Japanese thief trailed her fingers across the ledge of the windolooking out at Tokyo's neon lights, leaving Shepard, Jacob and Joker hanging on her every move.

"Tokyo is beautiful at night," Kasumi whispered. "All the lights and glamour are over the top but the scene is just perfect…it's one of the reasons I chose to come here."

"However once you throw in the whole issue of the city being massive tourist attraction and how dangerous it is to walk the streets at night, Tokyo kinda loses it's _beautiful_ status," Joker added destroying the mood.

Kasumi went to speak only to let her lips widen into a grin. In all the years of knowing the woman Shepard had came to the conclusion that it was impossible to anger Kasumi. Her kind nature didn't have the time for measly anger, something Shepard found hard to grasp.

It did however let Shepard begin to wonder how Kasumi would react if she was in her shoes. If the man she loved betrayed her and killed her unborn child…would she have time for revenge and anger then? That was a question Shepard would never be able to answer.

Keeping her brown eyes focused on the city beneath her Kasumi placed both her hands on her hips.

"All pleasantries aside Shepard…why are you here?" she asked changing her tone of voice to sound serious.

In a flash Shepard went into defence mode letting her body stiffen in place prepared to dodge a gun shot of some kind. If Shepard had to name the number of people who were the least likely to shoot her, Kasumi had to be one of them. However just like that Shepard became unsure of her friend's motives.

"I need help Kasumi," was Shepards firm reply, not taking her eyes off the thief for even a second.

A long silence filled the room. Jacob and Joker daren't not make a noise as their eyes switched back and forth between Kasumi and Shepard.

"Garrus…" Kasumi mouthed, a statement not a question.

"Yes," Shepard instantly replied.

"Did Joker mention that we are no longer connected to him or anyone else for that matter from the crew?"

"Kind of."

"I see…in what way do you think us three can help you Shepard?" Kasumi breathed pitifully.

Shepard peered at Joker allowing him to reassure her with an approving nod.

Clearing her throat Shepard hesitantly stood up and approached Kasumi. "I need your help stealing the Normandy back."

Kasumi finally acknowledged Shepard, the seriousness drowning from her face letting her original personality come back. "You never cease to amaze me Shepard."

"I try," she joked back. "So what do you say, are you in?"

Kasumi walked away from her ex-commander letting out a much needed sigh. Her life in Tokyo wasn't perfect but it was _hers_, something she could call her own. Kasumi had only just accepted that her life on board the Normandy was over and that Jacob and Joker was her life now. She hadn't even fired a pistol for a year or so, give it three more weeks and she can add a two whole months of not stealing to the list. She had changed.

What may seem to be the best to others, wasn't the best for her. Kasumi had changed in order to live a normal life with a normal guy. If she just upped and left she would have to say goodbye to it all…

"I'm in!" Kasumi cheered embracing Shepard once more.

Jacob and Joker exhaled deeply as if they were holding their breath the entire time. The poor guys looked so tense throughout the whole conversation.

"So any ideas where to start? Plans of infiltration? Weapons? Back-up teams?…" Kasumi asked absolutely thrilled as she paced up and down the apartment like a giddy schoolgirl.

Shepard stopped the thief in her tracks. "Actually Kasumi no. I don't know where i'm going to start, I haven't a clue how we are going to infiltrate the Normandy…this shitty combat knife is the only weapon I have and i'm afraid that you guys…" Shepard outstretched her arms, "_Are_ my back-ups."

With their mouths agape the trio stared back at Shepard stunned over her sudden confession.

"Well that sucks," Joker stated.

Kasumi held a hand up to him. "I may have an idea…I can work on on trying to get into the Normandy's systems…"

"That's brilliant, all we need then is to get Joker in he pilot seat," Shepard added.

"Just try and stop me from getting in the cockpit," he laughed lightning the mood until Jacob opened his big mouth.

Standing up from the couch the soldier rubbed the back of his head. "I hate to be the party popper here but you guys are not gonna pull this off with a combat knife."

"What do you suggest?" Kasumi asked intrigued that Jacob got involved in the discussion.

Jacob was very laid-back and usually at peace with everything everyone said. However he knew that stealing the Normandy was pretty much big deal now that it belonged to Vakarian.

She had survived many battles and thanks to the old crew the Normandy was fully upgraded. It would take a lot of firepower and optimism to even get near it. Unfortunately Jacob only kept his pistol back at his apartment with Kasumi for emergencies. After becoming intimate with the thief, Kasumi had asked him to sell all of his weapons that he took from the Normandy when they left. It was one of the saddest days of his life. She said something about "Starting anew." he wasn't really paying attention. If he could benefit this mission in any way Jacob was glad that it had something to do with getting weapons, no matter how pissed he was about his plan - it was the only answer he could come up with.

"Look I ain't too happy about this idea, but i'm taking it you don't have enough credits to go out and buy a bunch of high tech weaponry, am I right?"

Shepard nodded sadly in defeat. Jacob was technically wrong, it wasn't that she didn't have enough money, the downer was that she had no money left at all, not after she bought herself the cheap clothes she was standing in.

Kasumi held her finger up as if in high school to ask a question. "I could always steal some…" she suggested.

Jacob chuckled warmly to himself. "Baby we don't have time for that…I was thinking we pay an old contact of mine…_ours_…a visit. He's a dick, yes, but he does have his uses. I'm sure if we bring Shepard along he'll be more than happy to help us out."

"Okay i'll bite," sighed Shepard. "Who?"

His face turned hard as Jacob closed his eyes and gripped the table. "Massani."

"Zaeed?" Shepard cried, "He's not on the Normandy?"

"He upped and left too, only he chose to return to playing mercenaries back on Omega…asshole" Jacob stormed venting out little glitches of frustration. "Anyway long story short I heard he is into weapons dealing now…and we are in a certain need of weapons."

He grinned opening a fresh can of beer. Joker was quick to snatch it before it passed Jacobs lips, utterly pleased with his efforts. Shepard didn't have time to laugh, all that recurred through her head was 'Jack is on Omega, Jack is on Omega.' over and over again.

"Shepard?" Kasumi voiced patting her on the shoulder concerned. Bless her and her adorning ways.

Restraining herself from storming to Omega blinded by rage Shepard lightly smiled back. "Omega it is then."


	10. Alpha And Omega

**A/N: **My apologies for taking so long to update. Getting ready to enrol in college has been a nightmare. Goodbye GCSE's hello A levels :/ This chapter isn't entirely awesome in fact I have had much difficulty writing it what with college and writer's block. However I hope it's to your liking, if it is let me know and the same applies if you don't like it. I'm also sorry for how short this chapter is. So to make up for it i'm going to try and write the next chapter and get it up as soon as possible. Now I can go play my mass effect replacement: Dragon age!

I do not own Mass Effect unfortunately, this fact makes me cry everyday and to top that I do not own Kill Bill *Dies*

* * *

The squad stepped out of the shuttle to be greeted with the familiar stench of blood, alcohol and sweat.

The lump of rock hadn't changed much except Afterlife's decor had been altered. New fluorescent blue and pink lights grazed the thick air atmospherically luring you into a trance.

"If you ignore the poverty, this place could pass for any Tokyo club," Kasumi mumbled with a hint of disdain.

It was unusual for the thief to let things get to her, but the realisation of just how much Tokyo and Omega were alike these days made the thief cringe.

Shepard kept her eyes fixated on the entrance of Afterlife. "Keep close guys and follow me."

Usually a place such as Omega wouldn't intimidate Shepard. However on this particular visit she had no armour or weapons to speak of.

As the former commander waded her way through the crowds she finally reached the entrance. One quick glance back reassured Shepard that her team were not dead yet. That was a plus.

Blockading the entrance stood a muscular batarian doorman typing at a data-pad vigorously.

He looked grouchy and had heavy bags drooping from his six eyes.

Shepard coughed to catch his attention causing all his eyes to blink at her at once. All those eyeballs really did creep the hell out of Shepard sometimes sending an unwanted shiver down her spine.

"Where do you think your going honey?" he rasped in a sing song manner.

"I have business with Aria," Shepard stated locking eyes with the creepy batarian.

He chuckled to himself darkly only halting when he realised she was serious. Kasumi rolled her eyes in retaliation.

"Nobody sees Aria human, you want to obliterate some brain cells with booze you wait in line till the elcor let's you through," the batarian ordered turning his attention back to his data pad.

"We could always just go looking for Massani without directions?" Joker added knowing the idea would be dismissed anyway, but at least it looked like he was taking part. In all honesty Joker had no intention of wondering around Omega aimlessly.

In return Shepard eyed the pilot with a glint of humour in her eyes before turning to Kasumi.

"If you want Shepard I can sneak in for you?" the thief offered.

Just as Shepard was about to reply the batarian interjected into their conversation. All of a sudden all these thoughts conjured up in Shepard's mind on how the doorman must have heard Kasumi talk about sneaking in. He was probably getting ready to shoot them all dead on the spot right now as an example to the other customers, she had to think fast she-

"Did you just say, Shepard?" he gasped, completely ruining the hard look he had going on.

"Let's say I did…" Kasumi replied placing a hand on her hips.

Grumbling to himself the batarian shook his head.

It occurred to Shepard that she had never seen a happy batarian with a job that had nothing to do with violence or a dark past. Whether it was pure coincidence or a jibe at their race she did not know.

"She will see you two," the batarian sighed opening the door up for Shepard and Kasumi.

Shepard couldn't help but look back at a shocked Jacob and Joker standing awkwardly behind her, both unsure of what to do.

"You mean _four_," Shepard corrected.

The batarian was stunned at first then amused at the fire this human had, none the less he didn't like the look of the two males. If there was one thing he hated more than a female human it was a male human.

"Don't try to correct me human!" he voiced. "Candy-man and cripple-boy wait out here, either you two see Aria or none of you see her. Your choice."

Kasumi and Shepard stared at Jacob and Joker apologetically.

"It's okay guys, we will be fine," Jacob smiled convincingly enough to force the two women to nod and enter the club.

Just before the doors shut behind the two women Shepard faintly heard Joker say to Jacob, "I wish I shared your optimism _candy-man._"

Afterlife seemed to have upgraded their music system, it sounded louder than before to the point where you couldn't hear yourself speak. The dingy club had the same old asari strippers shaking their money makers and surprisingly human strippers too.

One girl stood out from the dancers, she had pink hair and a rake thin body. Her frame looked like she it was about to cave in at any moment, however despite the facts the girl just kept dancing rapidly. Tattoos ate away at what was left of her arms trailing all the way down to her legs. They were roses with thorns spiralling down, each rose a bright colour that stood out.

The stripper momentarily paused shooting a quizzical look towards Shepard. Her continued to hang wide-open before she was aware that Shepard was staring back. The girl awkwardly resumed the actions she was doing earlier with the pole. Whoever this girl was, she recognised Shepard which wasn't entirely a good thing.

Continuing along the dance floor Kasumi gave an induced cough towards Aria's guards. The batarian, Anton lurked out from his shadowed corner.

"You again?" he grumbled taking a chance to look the pair up and down.

"I need to see Aria," was Shepard's rehearsed reply.

"Hmph, I bet you do…" the batarian murmured. He inclined his head towards the stairs without uttering another word. Why was he being so laid-back about letting her see Aria? No scans? No weapon checks?

Making their way up the stairs Kasumi leaned in and whispered "I don't like this Shepard."

Before Shepard could reassure the thief the pair were presented with Aria who had her back to them. No-one else was upstairs in the V.I.P lounge with the asari strangely. No guards whatsoever, just the three females.

Shepard didn't like the looks of this either letting her body become prepared for anything and tense up. Kasumi observed her commander and did the same.

With her back to the two females Aria tilted her head down to observe the bombarded dance floor.

"I was wondering when you would show," Aria spoke in a sadistic tone. Shepard and Kasumi remained quiet. "I appreciate you going to all that trouble of sending someone after me…an intriguing challenge, i'll admit that." The asari still had not turned around and kept her eyes set on the spiraling view of Afterlife.

"I'm afraid I have no idea what your talking about," Shepard replied carelessly. As far as she was concerned Aria's ramblings weren't getting her anywhere, all she wanted was to be pointed in the direction of Massani.

"Oh but you do…Jack was one of your former crew members was she not?" Aria pursued.

"Jack?" Shepard whispered to herself.

"Yes…Jack," the asari breathed heavily turning around to face the pair, a smirk played across the corners of her mouth and a -

A massive scar across her lips, a darker blue compared to her original purple tinted skin tone.

Shepard and Kasumi stared longer than they needed to. The scar was to put bluntly an eyesore basked in Afterlife's lights for all to see. Shepard had never noticed that scar before.

The commander's glaring eyes did not go unnoticed by Aria unfortunately.

"That bald headed bitch is doing everything in her power to mess with me. She's vermin that needs to be exterminated," Aria explained keeping her anger in check by keeping her voice to a low hissing octave.

Jack always liked breaking the rules. Obviously if she came to Omega she will break the 'Don't fuck with Aria' one. Shepard expected no less from the biotic.

"Perhaps…" Aria continued. "You have actually found me my match. Men who were loyal to me slowly joined her _little_ cause, however this doesn't mean that I go completely without." On that note ten guards rammed their way with weapons up both sets of stairs eagerly aiming for Kasumi and Shepard.

Shepard quickly scanned her odds of getting out of Afterlife alive and they were not good.

"What the fuck Aria?" Shepard gritted through her teeth while the guards lined up their shots.

"You're the reason Jack is here, and for bringing that cunt into my station you have to die," the asari concluded fiercely.

Damn it Shepard really wished she had her armour and weapons right now…

Aria waved a hand to signal her guards to shoot. Acting on impulse Shepard screamed "Wait!" so loud you could forget how deafening the club music was for a second.

The guards hesitated while Aria stood there in a intimidating posture. Her face remained blank but told Shepard she had her full attention. _Here it goes…_

"Aria I didn't send Jack here and i'm certainly not here to fight you," she forced herself to say, her eyes never leaving Aria's cold frame.

It wasn't like Shepard to be on the receiving end, but she had to deal with it. Aria definitely was a match for her and it wouldn't be an easy task taking the asari down, let alone all her guards weaponless.

Aria chuckled her signature laugh, she had Shepard right where she wanted her.

In all honesty Aria wasn't too fond of having the commander gunned down. When she first met Shepard she saw the waves of potential she had, the human reminded Aria of herself when she was young. However crossing the one rule of Omega had it's consequences…

"Have you any proof of that?" Aria questioned, knowing fully well the commander had none.

Shepard's fear faded dramatically as rage consumed her. She quickly forgot about the guns pointing at her as she walked up the steps despite Kasumi's disapproval.

Shepard closed the space between Aria and herself, noticing that the asari refused to break eye contact or back down._ Good, _she wanted her full attention.

"_Proof_?" Shepard emphasised, feeling the guns slowly fall back on her as she stared into Aria's cruel gaze.

"On a Citadel chapel, a man and a woman are getting married. The woman is heavily pregnant at the time. Five people turn up, shoot everyone, leaving the bride till last. They beat her within a inch of her life, before lodging a bullet into her brain…Jack was one of the people responsible. Is that _proof _enough to show i've cut ties with her?" Shepard vented out.

In the background she heard a stunned Kasumi mutter "_Shit_."

This was all new information to the thief after all. Shepard didn't really feel the need to explain her situation to Kasumi and Jacob yet. There was no relevance. All they needed to know was that they were getting the Normandy back. With that plan out the window Shepard concluded that she would explain later…if she got out alive.

"How are you here if they shot you in the head?" was Aria's only reply. It was monotone in order to sound uninterested in Shepard's third person narrative of her betrayal.

"I got lucky," Shepard hissed instantly.

Aria looked frustrated as she ordered her men to back down. The turian and batarian guards hesitantly lowered there weapons, exchanging uneasy glances before heading down the stairs.

Slithering over to the sofa Aria inclined for Shepard and Kasumi to sit.

In a split second Aria was able to go from wanting to have someone gunned down to having a peaceful chat with them. The asari worked in mysterious ways indeed.

"It seems to me that we share a common interest," Aria smirked making the scar across lip stand out even more.

"Is that so?" Shepard replied unenthusiastically as she leaned against the accommodating leather.

"We both want Jack dead."


	11. The Truth Of Things To Come

**A/N:** Finally got this chapter up. Yay! I'm not too sure what to think of this chapter, I don't know if i've pulled it off to be honest. Any reviews that agree or tell me otherwise are welcome =] As long as they are not _too _mean.

I sadly do not own Bioware nor do I own Kill Bill. Enjoy (Y)

* * *

Everytime Shepard took a step forward it was like she had to jump a mass relay back.

To say that things were not going to plan would have been an understatment. Aria yet again pulled the strings even though Jack had damaged her power. _Figures._

_"_I did not come here to discuss Jack, I came here for your help." Shepard eyed the asari fiercely.

"Oh? And what could I possibly help with with?" Aria dramatised, a deviant smirk playing on her scar ridden lips.

With a sigh Shepard replied, "I need to find Zaeed Massani, I know he's on Omega. You of all people should know his whereabouts."

Aria grunted before leaning out of her chair to pour herself a drink. She kept quiet as if pondering her options, not that she had many.

"And how would this benefit me?" she asked in a serious tone.

"You help me find Massani and you have my word that I will kill Jack."

Shepard could feel Kasumi cringe behind her, though she refused to look. This was not what Kasumi had signed up for. Shepard knew she owed the confused thief an explanation after all this and would entirely understand Kasumi's reasons if she upped and left. This wasn't really her fight. She just wanted the Normandy back.

Aria shot an approving grin towards Shepard.

As her eyes trained on nothing in particular she muttered, "You have four days."

"What?" yelled Shepard unable to contain the shock in her voice.

"You heard," retorted Aria mischievously. "You'll find Massani in the Bahmel district down on the lower levels. His place is down the first alleyway on your left, look for apartment number three."

"You seem to know an awful lot about him," Shepard murmured in aggravation with a raise of her eyebrows.

Aria didn't flinch nor did she turned around. She was amused at Shepard's attempts to get a reaction out of her. Aria raised her hand as she held back a laugh, "I know a lot about anyone who's worth knowing Shepard. Now might be a good time go see Massani, before I change my mind on our deal."

Shepard nodded despite Aria being unable to observe the action. As she got up Shepard noticed that Kasumi was already shooting death glares in her direction. _This was going to be painful._

"Remember Shepard, four days," Aria spoke suddenly as Shepard and Kasumi reached the stairs.

Halting her steps Shepard quickly gave Kasumi an apologetic look before turning her attention back to Aria.

"And if I don't do it in that time?" Shepard said in a barely audible whisper.

Aria remained silent and focused on the dance-floor. The music began to die down slightly adding to the uncomfortable atmosphere.

"That's not an option," she hissed.

And on that note Shepards heart sank. The situation was incomprehensible , how did she ever get herself into this mess?

She put one foot in front of the other in defeat and headed down the stairs with Kasumi on her tail.

_"Well Shep, this moment, this is me at my most masochistic." Bang!_

Shepard gasped quickly grabbing her skull. She felt a singe of pain every time she thought about it.

* * *

"Shepard?" a faint voice called out to her.

Her head was pounding beyond reason and made it hard to focus on what exactly was going on.

"Shepard!" Kasumi voiced. "Have you not been listening to a word I have said?"

Shepard's vision was a bit hazy, in fact where the fuck was she? One minute she was talking to Aria next minute she's behind some some garbage disposals on the floor. Shepard could still hear the pulse of Afterlife. She was still on Omega.

"Hey Kasumi let the girl recover, your shouting isn't going to help," Jacob soothed draping an arm over Kasumi's shoulders.

His arms were quickly tangled off by the thief as she paced up and down the street.

"Jacob do you have any idea what she's got us into? She lied to me, you and Joker, If I had known…"

"Actually…"Joker butted in, while he sat on the floor with Shepard in his arms. "I _knew,_" he groaned knowing that Kasumi's reaction would not be good. But he couldn't let Shepard take all the blame.

"You knew? Joker I trusted you!" Kasumi gritted through her teeth as she towered over him. Jacob stood there in shock like he didn't know what to do, the most Joker got out of him was a sympathetic look.

"Sue she lost her kid to that asshole, she was shot in the head by that _asshole_. She had a hard time explaining this to me, and my outburst at the time didn't help matters. How can you blame her for this? She is helping me, _us_ to get the Normandy back. We owe her!" Joker explained putting tightening his hold around a limp Shepard.

Kasumi grabbed her hair in frustration. "This is all new to me," she choked teary eyed. "Joker this isn't what I signed up for. I don't have to murder Jack, I don't have to steal the Normandy in four days...I can just go," Kasumi explained in a low tone. "This isn't my fight."

Joker stared at Kasumi in disbelief. "When Shepard helped you attack Hock's place for one measly grey box..."

"That grey box is not-" Joker held up his free hand to cut her off.

He kept his voice low and predatory like a lion protecting his cubs. "…Did she say _that_ wasn't her fight? Did she say she didn't have to do it?"

Kasumi bored into Joker with tears visibly streaming down her face The thief looked so fragile and weak. All you had to do was mention something about Keiji and she fell apart.

Jacob sidestepped from foot to foot in the background like it was his mission to ware the ground out. He felt ridiculous for feeling so out of place and for not knowing what to do in such an emotional situation. You couldn't tackle these kind of mishaps with a full blown kick to the ribs.

He concluded that the best he could do was to stay out of it. Where he lacked the brains to say some words of wisdom and make everything seem okay he compensated for it with his instinct to remain silent.

"It's not the same thing," Kasumi murmured calming down slightly.

"Of course it's the same thing!" Joker fumed.

He kept his gaze trained on the thief. He rarely lost his cool with anyone except for that one time when he lost the entire crew back on the Normandy. He remembered heat boiling from his core as he had a small outburst in front of Shepard of all people. She didn't even reprimand him for it. It was like she understood his anger. Shepard was unique in every way, she was more than his commander, she was his friend.

He regretfully lost his composure with Shepard that time. Was Kasumi the next in line? The woman who in a way filled the gaping gap Shepard had left behind when she disappeared?

"I didn't ask Shepard to do the impossible!" Kasumi screeched in a pathetic attempt to defend her argument.

That was the final straw.

"Didn't you? You wanted Shepard to help you take down one of the most power-fullest criminals in the galaxy all to get some grey box! Shepard is asking you to help take down those responsible for killing her kid and herself. I think that would make the two of you just about square." Joker fiddled with Shepard's hair trying to untangle some of it. She had been passed out for some time now, going in and out of consciousness.

The thief went to speak but decided against it. The frown on her face ever so slightly eased away as she sat herself against the wall near Jacob.

Joker was still angry for he had much more he wanted to say. He was hoping that Kasumi wouldn't back down and yet all her yelling stopped. For someone whose entire time on the Normandy was spent in isolation in the cockpit with only an AI for company, Joker was pretty good at persuading. He must have got it from Shepard. The thought made him want to chuckle.

In his arms Shepard managed to flutter her eyes open.

"Hey commander, had a good nap?" Joked teased with a lopsided smile.

"W-what happened?" Shepard asked sleepily. She cradled her head which was throbbing as if someone planted Afterlife's treble and bass in her brain.

"You _kind of_ passed out in Afterlife," Joker winced as he explained.

The thief looked straight into the pairs direction. Her expression was clear to see without her signature hood and yet so unreadable.

"I thought it was my fault at first," spoke Kasumi. "We had just finished speaking with Aria and I may have…_yelled_ at you. Suddenly slumped to the floor. I had to drag you to the exit."

"Kasumi i'm so sorry-"

"Leave it!" Kasumi ordered. "We will discuss the situation once we have the Normandy back, for now there is no point in arguing about it." Kasumi knew what Shepard was apologising for, and it wasn't for fainting in Afterlife.

Shepard nodded weakly in agreement.

"You know it might be good idea to go see a doctor," Jacob offered. "My guess is that episode back there had something to do with you having been in a four year coma and leaving the hospital so abruptly."

Joker instantly stopped playing with Shepard's hair to shoot a penetrating 'fuck you' glare at the former lieutenant.

Shepard felt his body tense and reached up to his face with her hand.

"Joker," Shepard soothed causing the pilot to turn his attention back on his commander. "I heard it all."

Joker instantly went into shock fumbling with his words as he tried to come up with an excuse.

Instead Shepard pressed her finger to his lip gently. "I'm not angry. I just wanted to thank you," she whispered so that Kasumi and Jacob couldn't quite hear.

"Ohhh," Joker laughed nervously. "Your um, welcome? I guess."

Shepard happily sighed as she let Joker help her up onto her feet.

In her mind Shepard was aware that Joker had brittle bone disease, but that didn't stop her trusted pilot from being rather strong.

Regaining her new found balance Shepard observed that she was indeed sitting behind some garbage disposals with some of her former crew. She prayed that it wasn't a sign of things to come.

"Now that's over with I suggest we go see Zaeed. Aria gave me directions," Shepard offered preparing herself for a long walk. Jacob charged towards her instantly.

"Shepard you were unconscious five minutes ago, I strongly suggest you see a doctor," Jacob stated firmly gripping her shoulder suddenly.

Shepard eyed him ferociously. Holding in her heaving breaths Shepard sharply pulled Jacobs arm off of her.

"Noted. In the mean time you do as I say," she hissed.

Reluctantly Shepard began a forced walk down the streets of Omega, with only a trail of muttered curses from her pink lips for company.

Joker and Kasumi eyed Jacob with confusion before following their commander into the baron streets.

Kasumi linked her arm with Jacob's urging him to walk. He still had a cold look in his eye, one of either anger or disappointment.

Joker looked back at the couple and rolled his eyes. "You know Jacob it was your idea that we go and see Massani," he reminded him.

Kasumi turned feral. Her charming personality suddenly becoming aggressive. She hated the bickering between the two men and it was usually Joker who started the arguments.

"At least I was giving ideas, I didn't hear any suggestions from _you_," Jacob shot back.

Joker itched his stubble and scoffed at Jacob's remark.

"All i'm saying is don't complain about Shepard doing what you suggested," Joker replied not looking back at Jacob as he tried to catch up to Shepard.

Jacob went to retaliate but was stopped in his tracks by Kasumi tightening her grip on his arm.

"Just leave it," she warned.

Jacob sighed as he held her closer. In the distance he could see that Joker had finally caught up to Shepard, they looked like they were content with having some time to themselves.

Personally Jacob wasn't a fan of Joker especially after he crashed the Normandy into the Citadel. Kasumi was so insistent on following Joker when he went to up and leave. It had only just occurred to him that he never asked why. Maybe he already knew the answer but just wanted to cower away from the truth.

However he could see that Joker and Shepard had a past. They seemed to be on the same level, it's as if they were related. Joker had Shepard's back and Shepard had his. So why was Kasumi and him here? Simple: Because the connection Kasumi had with Joker was like the connection Joker had with Shepard.

Wherever Joker went, Kasumi would go. Joker was the only person she would listen to. Jacob remembered having arguments with the thief on numerous occasions, and no matter how valid his point was he could never win. Yet with her and Joker it was different. With Joker she listened to reason.

He continued walking at a slow pace not wanting to be around Joker for the time being. Jacob glanced down at Kasumi who was leaning into his chest as they walked.

He smiled at the thought that at the end of the day, he had the girl. Not Joker.

Looking back up he could see Shepard and Joker standing outside some apartment blocks waiting for Kasumi and him. The place looked like shit to say the least, he expected no less from Massani.


	12. Closer To The Edge

**A/N: **Again my apologies for how long this took. College is really getting in the way :S Feel free to review, good or bad. It keeps me motivated when I see a new review, that and it makes me smile. Unless it's a bad one...then I just rock back and forth in a corner. "Last time I heard that joke I laughed so hard I nearly fell off my dinosaur!" If you know where that's from then...good for you :D

I do not own Bioware and i do not own Kill Bill. *Sad face*

* * *

"According to Aria this is the place," Shepard acknowledged exchanging uneasy glances with Joker.

The apartment blocks were a complete dump, however the group were thankful that they didn't have to suffer with an elevator ride or drag themselves up flights of stairs.

Shepard took a deep breath and belled on the door numbered three.

Silence introduced itself instead of Zaeed.

Shepard repeated her actions again, stepping back to examine the door unhappy about receiving no greeting.

"Jacob I don't suppose you could hack this could you?"

Jacob gave a hearty laugh before stepping forward presenting his omni-tool. In under one minute Jacob had hacked the door successfully causing the seals to release in a unhealthy manner.

"After you." He grinned and gestured with his arm for Shepard and company to enter the abandoned apartment.

Shepard shook her head at Jacob's cockiness before rallying forward.

Zaeed's apartment was dark and messy to say the least. He had metal crates stored in the corner of the room while an ashtray stood out on the coffee table saturated in cigars and ash.

From what she could see his whole place was dimly lit, probably to not attract unwanted attention. There was also a musky distinctive smell in the air, one that caused Shepard to be alert as it got stronger.

Shepard waited in the living room for a while listening out for any noises or movement that suggested Massani was on the premises. Joker and Kasumi followed her example, moving into Zaeed's place swiftly and on high alert.

A creaking noise was just about audible in the next room, droning out and suddenly coming to a halt. Shepard silently signalled Jacob to take point near the damaged door where the sound was coming from.

To Jacob's surprise a pistol laid conveniently on the floor where he stood. It wasn't the best hand cannon in the universe but it was still a weapon.

He slowly picked it up staring at Shepard to be sure he wasn't out of line. Technically she wasn't his commander anymore and yet he still looked for her approval.

Edged on by the repetitive creaking Jacob flung himself into what seemed like Zaeed's bedroom pinning his aim on the source of the sound.

"Hands where I can see them Mas-"

Before Jacob could choke out his sentence his body was flung across the room by a sharp sensation stabbing his shoulder. He didn't even get a good look at who had shot him, from the edges of his sight everything was beginning to blur.

"Jacob!" Kasumi screamed instinctively running over to his injured body.

It was clear to the thief that he had been shot in the shoulder and was bleeding heavily. To Kasumi's surprise it actually looked like there was a bullet wedged in his shoulder. People rarely used bullets anymore sticking to heat sinks in order to preserve ammo and reload faster.

Feeling a presence behind her Kasumi turned around as fast as she could to see a pistol aimed at her face.

Holding the weapon shakily was a young girl with bright pink hair.

Shepard remained behind the door frame after she failed at holding Kasumi back.

Joker was on the opposite side with sweat dripping down his face unsure of what to do.

Pleased that this girl had no idea Shepard was accompanying Kasumi and Jacob in the apartment, Shepard quietly began to creep up behind her much to Jokers dismay.

"Who the fuck are you?" the girl voiced aggressively, tightening her grip on the gun.

Kasumi was too worried about Jacob to deal with the young girl's mood swings right now. However out of the corner of her eye she could see Shepard rapidly coming up behind the pink haired temptress.

"Someone you shouldn't mess with," Kasumi hissed applying pressure to Jacob's wound.

"Is that so?" the girl smiled deviantly.

Without hesitation she pulled the trigger only to be suddenly pinned to the floor by a quick-thinking Shepard.

The bullet miraculously just about missed the thief to her relief. What distressed Kasumi the most was how the girl was so intent on murdering Jacob and herself.

Joker limped inside the room as fast as he could when he heard the shot go off.

Plodding through the doorway he could see Kasumi with Jacob on the floor and weirdly enough Shepard and the pink haired girl battling it out.

Shepard silently thanked all the sparring matches she had with Garrus that had improved her hand to hand combat as she laid into the young girl.

However the pink temptress was fast and being skinny meant it was hard for Shepard to get a decent grip on her.

Once pinned Shepard held the girl's arms firmly down.

"For fuck's sake will you just give up?" Shepard gritted through her teeth.

"Fuck you!" the girl shot back, thrusting her stomach upwards to try and topple Shepard off her.

Feeling the commander's grip loosen only slightly the girl used all her strength to smash her fist across Shepard's face. A cracking noise resonated within the room, leaving a timid Joker feel rather sick.

Pleased with her efforts the girl shoved Shepard off of her in a rushed movement, stampeding towards her pistol which nestled on the cold hard floor.

Shepard was fast at following the girl's movements only to be presented with the pistol at her temple.

The girl gave a devilish grin as she stared into Shepard's eyes.

The commander wasn't too happy about meeting her end to a skinny afterlife stripper, but she was more pissed off that Kasumi, Jacob and Joker wasn't helping.

Jacob was in a heavy amount of pain so all he really could do was sit there and watch her execution.

However Kasumi just clinged onto the soldier, not even making eye contact with Shepard but looking past her in the distance.

And as for Joker for all the good he was doing…

Out of nowhere Joker came up behind the girl stealthy as ever, seeing as she didn't know there was a fourth person within the apartment.

Holding Zaeed's massive ashtray within his hands, Joker raised his arms smashing it over the young girl's head. The pistol loosely exited the girl's grip as she descended towards the floor.

"Smoking kills!" Joker smirked looking down at the pink haired girls limp body.

Shepard couldn't help but laugh at how perfect Joker's mini rescue was, the timing, the effort, the words…

"Trust you to do something like that." Shepard smiled before being helped up by a struggling Joker.

"Hey it's not everyday I get to look epic and sexy, I saw an opportunity and I took it," Joker explained pleased with his efforts.

Shepard grasped the pistol within the palm of her hand analysing it. Inscribed on the side it read 'Massani'.

"Look's like this is one of his guns," Shepard spoke mainly to herself.

Jacob tried to pull himself into a straight sitting position with Kasumi's help from across the room.

"Massani's a bastard, but he sure knows how to make a good weapon," winced Jacob as Kasumi tried to clean up his wound.

"A compliment Jacob? Are you sure that bullet didn't hit your brain?" Shepard joked causing Kasumi to shake her head in disbelief.

Shepard rubbed her arm that the girl scratched at in a frenzy. _Dirty brawler_.

Beside the commander Joker rubbed his neck and knelt beside the girl who now laid unconscious on the floor.

"She will wake up right?" Joker fussed lifting the girl's limp arm up then letting it drop back down on the marble surface in a humorous fashion.

"She better." Shepard cracked her knuckles. "I have a few questions I want answered."

"Like?"

"Like where the fuck is Massani?" she growled stomping towards the girl's sweaty body. "Let's see if we can wake her."

Kasumi had Jacob in her arms as she helped him limp towards a bed in the center of the room. It looked clean enough under the ruffled sheets which added to her tiny amount of optimism.

Reaching the mattress Jacob tried to lay on his back, gently edged on by an attentive Kasumi.

Noticing the display from across the room Shepard left the girl with Joker on the floor powering over to Jacob to lend a hand.

"How is he doing?" she whispered.

"So far so good," Kasumi replied sitting next to him. "However he won't let me take the bullet out."

"Damn right I won't!" Jacob said in a strangled voice and began to wriggle uncomfortably on the bed.

Shepard sighed and towered over him.

"Jacob?" she hissed grabbing his face in her hands. "We need to take it out, please don't make this more difficult," Shepard pleaded.

Overcome by pain Jacob groaned through his white gritted teeth and gave a forced nod.

"That's what I like to see," Shepard soothed. "Kasumi tie the sheets around his wrists, make sure you do them tight."

Shepard trusted Jacob not to lash out on her while she did this, however when your in pain a new side of you takes over. She needed to be sure that he wouldn't be making any sudden movements…for her throat.

Kasumi went to work, apologising a number of times as she tightened the sheets uncomfortably around his ankles and wrists. Jacob didn't put up much of a fight, he knew it was for his benefit. But it took so much strength just to lay there and let the thief restrain him when he knew the consequences of his actions.

Climbing further onto the bed Shepard straddled Jacob awkwardly as they locked eyes with one another.

The situation made Shepard want to laugh. Here Jacob was in intense pain and yet his brain still conjured up dirty thoughts._ Miraculous._

Trying to avoid Jacob's stare, Shepard examined his wound causing Jacob to wince and jerk his body upwards.

Squeezing him in between her thighs Shepard managed not to topple off. She had to keep telling herself he didn't do that on purpose, well not in the way she was thinking.

Kasumi had caught their little display much to her annoyance. She took a deep breath and continued searching for something that could be used to pick the bullet out. Every so often mumbling a few Japanese curse words.

As frustrated as she was with Shepard all over Jacob in that way, Kasumi managed to hold her tongue and hand the commander a pair of tweezers.

Shepard tilted her body towards Jacob slowly, hesitating near his wound.

"Jacob you might want to bite down on something," Shepard suggested apologetically.

Without putting up a fight Jacob allowed Kasumi to wedge some of the sheets between his teeth. He bit down as hard as he could and told himself repeatedly not to loosen his grip not matter how much he wanted to scream out in pain.

Shepard held the tweezers in her hand and received a reassuring nod from Jacob. _Here goes nothing _she thought.

Jacob gave a muffled groan as the tweezers plunged into his wound unmercifully.

Shepard lost count of how many times she was apologising as she let her hand force the tweezers deeper.

Marvelling at the scene before him Joker felt something he had never felt before. In retrospect it felt like pity. Pity that Jacob had to go through all this, even though the pilot thought he deserved it a little bit.

"For the love of God, just fucking take it out!" roared Jacob at the peak of his sanity. The bullet was buried deep in his shoulder refusing to come out all the while the tweezers were unwillingly scraping his every nerve.

_Okay maybe he didn't deserve it that much_, Joker thought wildly to himself.

"Kasumi help me out here!" Shepard voiced aggressively. She could feel the bullet loosening between Jacob's flesh slightly which caused heavy amounts of blood to randomly spurt out. _Hopefully he wasn't loosing too much._

Kasumi obeyed grabbing the sheets yet again and forcing them into Jacob's mouth. His cries were deafening, every ounce of pain was resonated within the apartment and probably the apartment block.

Shepard swiftly shoved the tweezers deeper into the wound, shocked that she actually caught the bullet. Holding the tweezers in place Shepard grabbed Jacob's slick with sweat face with her free hand.

"Jacob I need you to bite down hard okay? I'm going to pull it out on three!" she warned waiting for Jacob to nod in defeat between heaving breaths.

Joker remained doing as he was told, watching over the bony unconscious girl on the floor. Yet he couldn't tear his eyes away from all the commotion going on next to him. He braced himself instinctively as Shepard placed both hands on the tweezers jammed into Jacob's shoulder.

"One."

Kasumi locked her hand in Jacob's fist, her mind not thinking of the pain of his grip.

"Two."

Jacob threw his head back not sure that he wanted to watch the display in front of him.

"Three!"


	13. Mass Reunion

**A/N: **Sorry it has taken me so long to update again. What with Fallout New Vegas coming out, hanging out with friends and piles of Film Studies coursework I have kind of been tied up. Thanks again for those of you who are reading this, it is really appreciated.

I do not own Mass Effect or Kill Bill.

* * *

The worst was over.

Jacob laid curled up with Kasumi on the bed exhausted from the little episode earlier.

All the pain and adrenaline had now washed away leaving Shepard motionless. She headed towards an armchair in the corner of the room with the small ounces of energy she had left and was welcomed with a thud of her legs no longer holding her weight.

It had been a long day, and it wasn't even over yet.

"Shall I just leave her here?" Joker asked awkwardly as he sat on the floor next to the unconscious girl.

Shepard groaned refusing to open her eyes which were tightly closed. "Tie her up to a chair or something, just give me a minute to…a minute to..."

Joker grinned as his commander slowly drifted into a light sleep before him. He quickly came to the conclusion that it would be in his best interests to not to wake her up.

He didn't want to admit it but Jacob was right about how Shepard should see a doctor. Fatigue was bound to try and set in on her no matter what.

Joker tore his gaze off of his sleepy commander to see Kasumi curled up with Jacob on the bed. It looked like Joker was on his own with this one.

Struggling to stand up Joker clutched a nearby wall already worn out. What he would of gave to have had a nice hot coffee drenching his throat.

He skilfully knelt down beside the pink-haired girl trying to get a decent grip on her as he pulled her along the floor and into the living room where there were chairs available.

On numerous occasions Joker's hands found their way to her breasts while he struggled to get her ass onto a chair.

He kept mumbling apologies whenever it happened unable to gain control of the awkward situation. It was moments like these that Joker silently thanked whatever force was keeping her unconscious so that the girl couldn't kick his ass for the unintended groping.

Moments later Joker had managed to find some duct tape which he used much to his delight to tie the girl up. He left her mouth bare. The way he saw it even if she was to scream, this was Omega. Nobody would come to help her.

Returning from the kitchen which was just opposite the living room, Joker had prepared a flannel that was soaking wet to try and clean the blood off of the girl's face.

He liked to think he was doing it because it was grossing him out, however a part of him felt a bit bad and used the excuse of cleaning her wounds to make him feel better.

Joker began his work in silence tracing the flannel over the girl's cut eyebrow that was mangled with her hair due to the dried up blood. He pushed the once pink, now crimson hair behind her ears and gently rubbed over the swollen area. Joker lost track of how many times he had to rinse the flannel in the bowel of water he had retrieved also. The amount of blood was ridiculous.

Pleased with his efforts Joker moved on to her busted lip. Joker knew how pathetic the scenario was but he just wasn't the kind of person for violence. Maybe it was the fact that he was the one who knocked her out cold. He knew that he had no choice and had to do it for Shepard's sake, but it didn't stop him from feeling guilty about it.

The girl winced slightly when the flannel made contact with her lip causing Joker to jump back in surprise. He was certain there was no way she was going to wake up and yet there she taking in her surroundings and trying to figure out why she was tied up.

Joker hesitated and wondered whether or not to call Shepard for help. But from what he could see the girl was not going anywhere. He decided to stay put.

"Erm…are you okay?" Joker asked slowly approaching the dazed out girl.

She lifted her head as if it weighed a ton pinning her sight on the source of the sound.

She managed to groan "Fuck!" before letting her head drop back down.

"I'll take that as a yes," Joker murmured mostly to himself. It's funny how somebody can go from being a killing machine to being completely helpless.

"You are so fucked when Massani gets here, So _fucked_!" the girl screamed as she started to try and break herself free.

Joker sat in front of her calmly and held up a finger.

"Okay now, one: You're probably right. Two: You might as well give up the whole struggling thing going on right now because I made sure I tied you up tight. And three: What's your name?"

"Go fuck yourself!" she spat still trying to loosen the grey tape that bound her.

Joker looked up at the girl who was too busy avoiding his gaze. "Look i'm really trying here." Joker sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. He suddenly sat up-straight and coughed. "Okay i'll go first, i'm Joker."

The girl raised her un-swollen eyebrow. "Funny," she said sarcastically.

"No, i'm serious that's what everyone calls me," Joker defended.

"And I bet there's a story behind_ that,_" she mocked in an overdone happy manner. By now she had given up struggling and began boring her silver yet blue eyes into Jokers. It was beginning to make him feel very uncomfortable.

Joker decided to return the stare back. "You know you shouldn't be sarcastic, it doesn't suit you."

"Neither does your nickname," the girl replied.

Joker couldn't help but laugh at that. If it wasn't for the fact the girl had tried to kill his friends he would have liked her.

"What do you want from me?" Joker smiled and raised his arms in defeat.

"Your actual name," the girl said curtly.

Joker was able to tell that her whole tough exterior was all a show. Surely she wasn't really this mean? He concluded that her venomous attitude must have had something to do with the fact she had been beaten up and strapped to a chair.

"Jeff," Joker whispered in and barely audible tone. "Jeff Moreau."

"See? That wasn't so hard now was it?" The girl smiled mischievously but her busted lip prevented her from looking cute. She was able to tell by the way Joker spoke that he wasn't a fan of his real name. She figured that he must have be so used to being called Joker all the time that anything else was unfamiliar and alien to him.

Joker frowned. "Come on then, your turn," he urged leaning back into his chair.

The girl laughed. "Hey, I never agreed to anything."

"Aww come on," Joker teased. "You don't believe in a question for a question, an answer for an answer?"

The pink-haired girl sat there for second as if contemplating the consequences of telling him her name while Joker waited eagerly in front of her. As she was about to utter it her expression changed. Her forehead creased while she drifted into a recent memory.

She held her breath, "Are you the one that smashed that ashtray over my head?"

Joker swallowed hard. "Maybe."

"You fucking dick! You just wait till I get out of this chair!" she screeched getting more aggressive by the minute as she remembered the singeing pain he had caused.

Joker felt bad, he really did. He wasn't comfortable about hitting a woman. "Look i'm sorry-"

"Take your apology and shove it up your arse!" the girl shot back.

Joker grabbed the girl's chin forcefully and inched his face a few centimetres from hers. How he got up that fast with his shattered legs he had no idea.

"Listen, that woman you was in a scrap with earlier is asleep in there and she is a lot meaner than me. Please, give up on the screaming and don't let me regret not taping your mouth."

The girl didn't pull away from his grip and lowered her voice. "Why haven't you killed me?"

Joker loosened his grip on her chin and lightly held her head in his hand. "We all make mistakes, just because you've messed up doesn't mean you deserve to die."

On that note Joker turned away and sat on the couch. The girl didn't look at him and just stared at the opposite wall in silence.

Joker rubbed his temples frequently trying to get a hold of the situation and rested his head back on a pillow. It's funny, he could still be on Earth right now, serving drinks, chatting up girls... Instead he was here, on Omega, with a crazy tied-up girl for company.

"Marla," the girl whispered suddenly.

Joker lifted up his head to see the girl looking down at the floor, she looked a mess. He felt guilty again for how beaten and weak she looked.

"Marla Massani," she finished.

Joker smiled at the sudden trust she had placed in him, it showed him that all the effort he put into her was worth it.

He remained silent within his thoughts, she actually looked like a Marla. Joker liked it when people suited their names and as for the Massani part…wait.

"Did you say Massani?" Joker questioned slightly distressed.

"Yeah..." Marla answered confused at Joker's reaction.

"So…wait. You're related to Zaeed?"

"Of course, why else did you think I was in his apartment?" Marla chuckled weakly in response.

"You're his wife?" Joker asked. Startled by the situation he began pacing around the chair.

"Daughter," answered someone in a husky colonial voice.

Joker paused in his steps, that definitely didn't sound like Marla.

Slowly turning around Joker could see a shadowy figure in the doorway smoking a cigar.

_Shit._

The shadowed man stepped into the apartment locking the door behind him. The unavoidable scar on his face gleamed under the low lighting, making him look even more intimidating.

"Hey…Zaeed…I promise you this isn't how it looks," Joker tried explaining.

Marla was quiet but from what Joker could see she wasn't taking any enjoyment out of the situation before her. In fact she looked worried. Worried of what Zaeed was about to do.

Pulling a pistol from his hip, Zaeed slowly walked forward to Joker and pinned it on his forehead.

"Listen carefully Joker," Zaeed whispered in his heavy accent and a psycho look in his eyes. "You have five seconds to explain to me why my girl is beaten to a pulp and tied-up."


	14. He Who Laughs Last

**A/N: **Not sure what to think about this chapter. All I can say is please bare with me. Many thanks for those of you reviewing, it helps like you wouldn't believe. I wanted to dedicate a chapter to Joker, because one: I love him and two: i've been itching to give him a bit of a backstory. Now that my itch has been scratched enjoy. If you don't like it when stories take a turn like this then don't worry I don't plan on doing this a lot, however if you do like it then yaaay!

I do not own Bioware or Kill Bill :(

* * *

Joker wasn't one to believe that just before you die your life flashes before your eyes.

However despite his lack of faith his entire existence played before him the moment Zaeed counted to five. His peripheral vision began to blur as he slowly descended into the darkness.

* * *

His tenth birthday appeared in a flash when his dad got him a cake that resembled a ship. It was the best and last birthday he ever got to share with his father. The icing looked perfect and every little detail stood out among the sponge.

As he leaned down to blow out his candles Joker felt a sudden force pommel his face into the cake with success. If it wasn't for the lack of air Joker would have liked to remain sunken into his once awesome ship, however the odds were against him. Tumbling from the wreckage heavy amounts of chocolate cake began sliding down Joker's face.

Joker turned to look at his father. His cheeks were blue from where he had held his laugh in for so long and the bright sparkle in his eyes suggested that he was not sorry for his actions.

Joker reacted quickly by grabbing a chunk of icing that was once the cockpit and splattered it in the middle of his father's forehead.

Every guest gasped in the exact same way they did when his dad played the cake prank on him.

Silence now occupied the atmosphere, creating a tense mexican standoff between Joker and his father. Both father and son had their hands stretched out towards the crushed cake ready to begin the war, there was no anger on either side but there was a sense of honor, a craving to be the victor.

Penetrating their defences a sausage roll smacked Joker's father in the face in a highly comical fashion. Joker and him both turned to face the culprit: His mother.

It wasn't long until a food fight broke out between all the guests. It was the most fun Joker had ever had as a child. Looking back at it now he had actually lost his first ship at ten years old, to his dad, and Joker wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

* * *

The priest continued to drone on and on about how his dad was in God's hands despite never knowing the guy personally. However this is what his father would have wanted and therefore Joker decided to endure the torturous ceremony.

The lights were dimmed in the chapel so that all your attention was turned to the priest who was embracing the spotlight. Joker couldn't help but look outside the massive window which presented a wide berth of citadel space. He couldn't help but think how the whole idea of Christianity clashed with the existence of other races in the universe. Space was something that was associated with science and facts, yet here the priest was preaching about a higher power in front of a scenic overlook of the horse head nebula.

Joker's mother ripped him from his daydream with a gut-wrenching sob. He hated it when she cried, she had been a wreck leading up to this day but now she was just falling apart.

Her eyeliner was smudged as well as her mascara. He remembered clearly explaining to her before the shuttle arrived that wearing make up would be a bad at idea. However now didn't feel like the right time to say,_"I told you so."_

Instead Joker pulled his mother into his soft grasp pleased that she wasn't pulling away out of petty self respect.

She hid he face into his chest where the black make up was beginning to stain his white shirt. But Joker didn't care, he needed to accept that he was all his mother had right now. He had to grow up and follow his father's example.

Cradling his grief stricken mother is his arms, a quick scan of the room showed the rest of his family was on the verge of break down too.

This was the first funeral he had ever been to, and he wasn't up for experiencing another one any time soon.

The priest said his final worlds before cremating his father's remains. The sobs within the room grew louder by the second.

As the flames ate away at everything his dad once was Joker felt empty. A piece of him was gone.

* * *

Joker despised Earth.

Every time he visited the place it had something to do with something going to shit.

His mother decided that now was the time to scatter his dad's ashes despite Joker's protests to keep them.

Joker's father was Earthborn from a colony in Vancouver. He remembered his dad always talking about how magical the place was and how it was like being on Noveria only there was no snobby businessmen in sight.

As a child Joker vaguely recalled his father repeatedly informing his mother that when the've saved enough credits they are going to live in Canada or at least spend christmas there with the family.

Earth was one big tourist attraction, which explained Joker's undying hatred towards it. Asari, salarians, hell even turians visited Earth. But people like Joker's father who were actually born on Earth had to go out of their way to visit family.

The shuttle-ride to make a quick drop off to scatter the ashes was costing his mother a fortune, and yet she didn't seem to care. Her eyes continued to remain fixated on the scenery as she clung onto the case that contained what was left of his dad.

She sat in front with the driver who was a friend of his fathers. The driver: George, had been at the funeral a few years back as well.

Joker didn't see the harm in eavesdropping in on some of their conversation. After all they knew he was in the back of the shuttle trying to get asleep, a few words had a high probability of being picked up. There wasn't much _juicy gossip_ to quench Joker's attention but they did discuss his father and how overjoyed he would be to see the day Canada won it's independence. According to George another colony known as America, which is the capital of Earth, wanted to claim Canada and become one. Canada rightly refused and so broke out the 'Borderland War' for three years.

By the time the dispute settled Joker was fourteen. He had no idea his mother ever planned on scattering his dad's ashes. He simply assumed that they was keeping them.

The shuttle began to descend further and further into the Earth. The land that was Vancouver was remarkable. Everything was purely white like a blank canvas.

An odd feeling of happiness overwhelmed him. Canada was exactly how his father had explained it. It was much like a dream, so beautiful and unreal. A part of him felt at peace with departing with the ashes now. It was if at that moment in time he was exactly where he had to be.

* * *

"Make sure you video-chat me at least once a week," his mother sobbed. Tears were rioting down her face excessively as she tried to pull herself together.

"Mum can you please stop crying so loud, everyone's looking," Joker grumbled with embarrassment.

He already had the 'I will miss you' talks for the whole five hour journey to the station and it was only now when he was about to board the ship that his mother decided to break down.

His mother wiped her eyes for the hundredth time and stared down at him with a guilty look of concern washing over her face. She grabbed Joker's cheeks with both hands gently and whispered,

"All grown up and going to flight school…your father would be so proud."

That hit him harder than he thought it would. She stopped mentioning his father back when he was fourteen. He guessed that she was trying to move on. But the way she spoke, the distant memories in her voice told him that she never really had gotten over it.

Sirens blared into the air while an Alliance soldier shouted loudly on the speaker for everyone to to board.

Joker didn't say goodbye. He couldn't. He was worried that if one word left his mouth he would choke up and never end up going. Instead he smiled and pulled his mother into the tightest hug he'd ever given her, before gathering his belongings and heading towards the airlock.

She waved frantically as the doors began to painfully close.

That's when he felt it.

A tear flowed freely from his eye as it struck him that he will never be able to hug her again for three years.

* * *

"I'm sorry Moreau am I boring you?"

Finding a unique interest in the floor Joker continued to lose himself within his imagination blissfully unaware of Mrs T'sanmo's attempts of getting his attention.

"Moreau!" she shouted causing Joker to jump out of his little trance.

He usually sat at the back of the class so that nobody would talk to him espicially Mrs T'sanmo. Clearly his little strategy was failing.

"Sorry, I just zoned out for a bit there," Joker explained picking up his pen and hoping T'sanmo would just lay off and continue her lesson. She didn't.

"Moreau there are pupil's here that take their education seriously, if you have no interest in learning to pilot a ship then you should not be in flight school," she hissed holding her hips in a provocative manner.

He hated it when she did that, she was such a bitch but she was able to make being a bitch look sexy. Every lesson she wore a very revealing asari dress and the beauty of it was that because she was indeed an asari she was able to get away with it. Nobody wanted to start an argument in case it started a race row.

"I do take it seriously," Joker defended lazily allowing his eyes to run along her blue skin.

T'sanmo shook her head, "Then why do you spend your time looking miserable at the back of the class not paying any attention to anything i've said?"

"No offence Mrs Samo…"

"T'sanmo," she corrected him, slightly peeved at how he could never pronounce her name right.

Joker got a few laughs from the class as he attempted her name again. "My bad, tus ammo? tas ano?…Look my point is, and like I said before don't take offence to this…but I already know everything you are talking about. All of this isn't knew to me."

The whole class turned back to the teacher to see her reaction. She had a evil smile creeping on her lips. "Well then Joker perhaps you would like to teach the class?"

"I'm sorry what?" he asked surprised.

"I said perhaps you would like to teach the class…"

"No, no before that," Joker interjected.

"Joker?" She smiled innocently.

"Is that suppose to be funny? Ha ha ha…" Joker grumbled sarcastically.

"You treat this lesson as a joke and you never smile," she explained eyeing him dominantly.

"Oh, i'm sorry i'll just get my pilot licence grinning like an idiot shall I?"

Mrs T'sanmo did not reply and continued to lecture about the inside of a cockpit that he knew like the back of his hand. Today was going to _drag._

* * *

"Hey, are you the pilot for the Normandy?" asked a soldier standing outside the ship.

This was it, Jeff Moreau had finally worked his way to the top of the Alliance and became the pilot of one of it's most respected ships: The Normandy. She looked perfect.

"Yeah I am, the name's Joker," he replied shaking the soldier's hand.

"Kaidan Alenko," he smiled. "I've heard your the best pilot the Alliance has in it's ranks?"

"Well…I don't want to boast…but yeah, you heard right," Joker stated reveling in the matter of fact compliment.

Kaidan gave a hearty laugh before giving a forceful cough and stood up-straight.

He suddenly raised his right arm to mimic a salute.

"Commander!" Alenko acknowledged.

Commander Anderson. a well respected Alliance figure approached Alenko and Joker with an expression that shouted '_I mean business.'_ But beside that Joker was certain that this _Anderson_, his _commander_ had a soft spot.

Joker followed Alenko's example only to be put at ease. That was the down side. You finally escape flight school where you're practically bombarded with rules, procedure and conduct, then you join the military and it's about the same.

A woman appeared from behind Anderson. Her hair was jet black and her eyes were a crystal blue. Joker just wanted to jump into those tantalising pool of eyes and forget about all his worries. Unfortunately he had just been told something to which this woman was expecting a response.

"Im sorry what?…" Joker mumbled incoherently.

"I was just telling you Mr Morea-" Anderson began, but before he could finished his sentence Joker already wedged himself in there again.

"Joker…"

Anderson looked very annoyed at his disruption.

_So much for a good first impression._

However much to Joker's delight Anderson's expression suddenly changed as he let out a full belched laugh.

"Joker it is, I look forward to hearing the story behind that. I was just informing you that this is your XO Shepard." Anderson gestured to Shepard with his arm.

Shepard stuck out her hand gently, "It's a pleasure to meet you Mor…I mean, _Joker_. I've heard great things about you."

She smiled as Joker's hand clasped hers tightly, he had heard great things about this Shepard, he couldn't believe he was actually meeting her. And it was _her_ complimenting _him_.

"The pleasure's all mine. You were that survivor on Akuze right?" Joker asked in a flirtatious tone. Well, what he considered to be flirtatious.

Shepard blushed slightly, "That would be me yes."

"That's fucking incredible!" Joker blurted out. Shepard turned to Anderson as they both began laughing. Even Alenko had relaxed a bit and joined in.

Anderson muttered something about getting Shepard to her quarters and giving her a tour of the ship. As they both headed off Alenko was soon to follow them up the stairs eagerly.

"Hey!" Joker called out. "Don't even think about it I got dibs first," Joker growled chasing after Alenko as fast as his weak legs would take him.

"Since when?" Alenko shot back playfully. He sped off ahead fully aware that Joker couldn't catch up.

"Sorry Joker, but i'm going to be the one who gives her tour, forgive me!" he laughed shimmying through a sealed door near the galaxy map.

Joker damned his brittle bones to hell. This new chapter of his life was going to be interesting.

_Bring it on Alenko!_

* * *

Joker had tried and failed to explain why Zaeed's daughter looked a mess, which is something Joker never thought he'd ever have to experience. Zaeed? A father? It seemed like anything was becoming possible in this universe. There were billions of lines and boundaries but everyone crossed them regardless.

Marla had tried to help him out. That was strangest part. Standing up for your attacker…

Logically Shepard was the one who attacked her and Joker was the one who smashed her over the head with an ashtray. He just couldn't work out why Marla was trying to help him.

Joker closed his eyes out of complete fear. This was not how it was meant to end.

Marla screamed at Zaeed painfully.

A single shot resonated within the room.

An unwelcome silence beckoned him.


	15. Unexpected Paths

**A/N:** This is the longest chapter I've wrote so far so I hope you guys like it. I'm always taking ages to update so here's a big chapter for you as an apology :) Although it may be long I don't feel that it's as strong as it could be. So some constructive criticism would be deeply appreciated. A big thank you to those of you have reviewed and added this to you fav's and story alerts, it means a lot. Enjoy!

I do not own Mass Effect or Kill Bill...no me gusta.

* * *

"Zaeed no!" Shepard screamed menacingly as the sound of a piercing shot filled the room with a deep sinking feeling.

Marla threw herself around frantically in the chair she was bound to.

"You fucking psycho!" she screamed.

"_Me_?" Shepard yelled. "He was ready to kill Joker you fuck!"

Joker turned his attention to every nerve in his body. He was sweating profusely and was shaking all over. As for pain? Nothing. Was this heaven?

"You just wait till I get out of this chair you bitch!" Marla called out hardly making any sense with how high pitched her voice was.

This couldn't be heaven. Unless…it was hell. How could he be in hell? He had never done anything wrong in his life, crashing the Normandy into the citadel being the one exception.

Joker dared to open his eyes to try and justify the situation. He had to have been shot! He saw Zaeed aim the gun to his forehead, he saw the deadly glare locked into eyes and he heard the shot. However this didn't explain his predicament of feeling completely unharmed.

"Joker are you okay?" Shepard asked trying to make her voice audible over Marla's yelling.

_No, no it's all in your head Jeff, don't open your eyes!_

He felt two hands shake him at his shoulders painfully. "Joker!"

Hesitantly Joker cracked open his eyelids to reveal Shepard who still looked roughed up from earlier.

"Am I dead?" was the only sentence he was able to force out in his state.

Shepard gave a dark laugh which made her look strangely intimidating. Yet the glistening twinkle in her eyes indicated that she was relieved.

"No Joker," Shepard reassured him with a smile. "You're pretty much alive, can't say the same for him I'm afraid." Shepard pointed her gun towards the floor.

Joker tilted his head to see Zaeed clutching his chest and muttering gibberish to himself. He was in pretty bad shape and still continued to murmur explicit profanities.

"I don't understand," Joker stated mostly to himself.

"You're probably in shock," Shepard replied rubbing his shoulder soothingly. "Zaeed was about to shoot you, I managed to stop him just in time. To think I was only coming in here to deal with that bitch."

Shepard jabbed her occupied hand in Marla's direction. They both frowned at one another in a short stand off. They didn't exactly see eye to eye and as for first impressions...

"Her name's Marla," Joker corrected. He shifted from side to side as he tried to avoid Shepard's excruciating gaze that had now been pinned onto him.

"Is it now?" Shepard prodded as she studied him. "Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea to leave you two alone together."

Joker scoffed. Maybe he _was_ getting a bit too involved with this than he should. After all Marla did shoot Jacob, not that he really minded that. Plus she tried to kill Shepard.

Yet he still didn't like the thought of any more harm coming to her, especially now that he knew who her father was. It kind of made sense now. The attitude problem, the swearing and the violence. Marla was simply born with bad genes right? Speaking of which,

"She's Zaeed's daughter," Joker forced out, the words sounding foreign to his lips.

Shepard's mouth hung agape before she crossed her arms defensively. Unlike Joker, Shepard was used to situations becoming worse and being chucked into the deep end head first.

She quickly processed Joker's words as Marla continued to throw sharp looks in Shepard's direction doing her best to look intimidating while being strapped to a chair.

In the mean time Joker left Shepard to think over what he said while she glanced back and forth between Marla to Zaeed. The sooner he got out of here the better.

He rubbed his face with his palms trying to gather some threshold over the situation. He still wasn't quite over being alive. Shepard had saved his life twice now. He realised that when this was all over with or more likely_ if_ this was all over with, he would have to properly thank her somehow.

From across the room Shepard sighed and crouched down to Zaeed's level. For someone who had been shot in the arm he was still able to grin when his eyes met hers.

"Quite…a surprise…seeing you here, Shepard," Zaeed muttered in heavy breaths.

"Likewise," Shepard replied dryly. "Don't suppose you'd care to tell me why you was about to shoot Joker?"

Zaeed gave a dry chuckle which was halted by a painful cough. Shepard waited impatiently for him to gather himself. He choked one last time and drew in a deep breath, aware of Shepard's inability to wait around.

"I believe in the shoot now ask later approach," he croaked unable to sound humorous.

Shepard looked back at Marla who was still tensed up over the situation. Thankfully Joker had sat beside her and was trying to calm her down, emphasis on the "trying" part.

Shepard chose to ignore them for the time being and turned her attention back to Zaeed, applying pressure to his fresh wound. He sucked in the air with a sharp intake of breath, biting back whatever curse word he wanted to growl.

As much as Shepard was angered by Zaeed's actions a few moments ago she understood them perfectly. If she had found her own child in the state Marla was in….

Shepard grabbed his hand and placed it over the bloody wound where hers once rested. She forced Zaeed to keep his hand firmly on his arm in order to prevent any more blood from oozing out.

"Are you going to be okay?" Shepard asked him, genuinely concerned.

Zaeed cracked a ghastly grin that made his nicotine-stained teeth stand out. "I can survive a bullet to the head Shepard, this little number is nothing."

Shepard shot him a smile, he hadn't changed much at all. Physically he looked much older, his hair was actually going grey. His skin looked more tanned than usual emphasising the creased wrinkles on his body. But other than that, he was the same old merc that helped her take down the collector base four years ago.

"Speaking of...bullets to the head, what are you doing alive and kicking?" Zaeed grumbled knocking Shepard out of her thoughts.

Joker froze from across the room knowing fully well that this subject was taboo and Shepard's reluctance to answering his question.

"I was in a coma for four years," Shepard answered vaguely in a hollow tone.

While she spoke Kasumi limped into the lounge with Jacob's arm draped over her shoulders. They both paused to observe Zaeed sprawled out on the floor with Shepard sat down beside him.

Shepard didn't turn around to acknowledge them. Her eyes focused on the cracked floor while she remained deep in thought.

Joker caught Kasumi's eye giving her a look that told her to remain silent. She obeyed him without a fight and carefully headed towards Joker and a bound Marla. She and Jacob sat on the couch quietly, Jacob wincing slightly as Kasumi eyed Marla who to her relief was strapped to a chair.

Even the young girl didn't utter a word. Something within her kept her calm and willing to listen to Shepard, the woman her father had mentioned from time to time.

Zaeed turned his head to see Kasumi and Jacob settling down on the couch. He was certain that there was a high probability that he was pissed and just imagining all this. But usually a few shots of whiskey didn't have this kind of effect on him, only a full bottle.

He managed to easily forget about their presence and turn his attention back to Shepard who seemed to have entered her own world. She sat there completely still yet shaken up, something he had never witnessed.

"A coma?" he parroted. "I was told you were…"

"Dead?" Shepard sighed finishing his sentence, that constant ache she had in the pit of her stomach tightening as they dug further into forbidden territory.

Zaeed attempted to sit up slightly in order to get into a more comfortable position, clutching his wound lazily in the process. "Funny, I was told there was more to it than that."

"Is that so?" Shepard hissed getting tenser by the minute. She didn't have time for his games at the moment.

"It is," he confirmed. "Word came floating around that you had betrayed the crew, that you had been siding with Cerberus all along. That you had to be stopped."

Shepard jumped to her feet and raised her arms in aggravation. "And you believed that?" she yelled, causing Joker to subconsciously flinch in the background.

"I didn't know what to believe, so I upped and left," Zaeed explained as calmly as he could. "Everyone wanted revenge for you're betrayal-"

"But I didn't fucking betray anybody Zaeed!" Shepard roared like a caged animal. Although her temper was pretty much displaying itself Massani noticed that Shepard was still holding back. To think of the endless consequences if Shepard didn't have that kind of self control.

"You disappeared out of nowhere Shepard, what was the crew suppose to think? You didn't contact anybody! It was like you didn't want to be found, and you find it that hard to believe some of the rumours against you?" Zaeed growled, allowing the situation to get to him.

He felt angry and cheated, it was like he was finally starting to believe the rumours now that he said them out loud.

Before he dealt another blow Shepard screamed, actually screamed with such raw and unpleasant emotion, startling everyone in the room. "I was pregnant Zaeed! I didn't have the damn time to betray my crew or work with Cerberus, when the only thing on my mind was how I couldn't face the thought of everyone telling me to get rid of my child to stop the Reaper threat!"

For the first time in his life, Zaeed was speechless. What does one say to that?

"So you know what? Yeah, I left. I left to have my child with no one there to criticise me or order me around. I didn't fucking betray any of you, as a matter of fact you all betrayed me!" Shepard continued, voice itching to break as she pointed her finger down at Massani accusingly. She had had enough with all the traitor bullshit.

Kasumi fidgeted in her seat trying to not think of the turmoil Shepard had been through. Sometimes it was easier for the thief to forget about how no-one was there for her when Shepard needed them most as the commander's body slumped from the amount of energy she just released.

Shepard was breathing heavily, allowing herself to recover from her deafening episode. She faced Zaeed once more, this time there was only a trace of anger in her orbs, the rest was a cross between self-pity and devastation.

"...He shot me Zaeed…he looked me in the face, and…" Shepard whimpered regrettably with hot tears slowly escaping her eyes.

"Who?" Zaeed asked automatically not missing a beat. He could deal with anger, tears...not so much. Now there was a new pain accompanying the bullet in his arm. A gruelling pain that surfaced the moment he saw that look on Shepard's face.

Shepard's eyes fixated on him revealing every fear, betrayal and torment she had suffered. The tears were drying up now that anger began to swell within her. "I want them all to pay, I want them to all suffer like I did. I want my revenge, and to get it I am going to need your help."

The room grew silent. Nobody dared to breath.

Zaeed reached into his pocket with his free hand and pulled out a small cigar. While everyone in the room fixated their eyes on him he brought the cigar to his lips before slowly lighting the tip.

It felt good to have a few seconds to himself as he inhaled the fresh tobacco deeply. He let it course through his lungs before letting it sweep back up through his mouth where it engulfed the air into a husky cloud of silver smoke.

The smoked flowed towards where Shepard stood trailing thick swirls across her body and her face. She didn't move nor did she blink. She remained like an intimidating statue, a beautiful one at that. The years have been kind to her he thought lazily, even if she had an exhausted look about her.

"You came all the way to Omega for my help?" Zaeed asked penetrating the solid atmosphere.

"I needed a good arms dealer…I heard that is your profession now," Shepard confessed.

Back on the Normandy there was always some kind of squabble between Zaeed and Jacob. Zaeed managed to always have the upper hand, he had the most life experience after all. Where as Jacob was still new to supplying and maintaining weapons. If things were simple it would have worked out perfectly if Zaeed taught Jacob the tricks to maintenance and pass on his knowledge of fine weaponry. Instead they fought like varren and continued to try and out do one another.

Although Shepard never admitted it to Jacob, she felt that Zaeed had much more talent in the weapons field than he did. It was just the case of Zaeed never wanting Jacob's job that stopped the two personalities from colliding.

Shepard knew Jacob disliked Zaeed from the moment he saw him, the fact he was a mercenary did not help the tense situation. However little did Jacob know that Zaeed was the reason he was able to keep his job on the Normandy. The fact that Zaeed challenged his ability to maintain and provide weapons to high standard on a daily basis actually made Jacob become much more knowledgeable and rather skilled in his work. He trained harder and put in endless hours of effort into his guns.

Jacob had learned from the best, and Shepard felt it was a shame that he would never realise how Zaeed's interference from time to time helped him become as skilled as he was now.

"Quite a compliment coming from you Shepard," Zaeed cackled. "There's just a small problem…"

Shepard hung from his words as he blew out another puff of smoke all the while still clutching at his arm. "I've retired."

Shepard balled her hands into fists allowing a frown to develop on her face. "You what?"

"Shepard when I left the Normandy I came back to Omega to continue my trade of being merc for hire and possibly restart my own mercenary group again. Little did I know that I would end up making and selling weapons. Turns out that route was much easier to follow." Zaeed went quiet for a few seconds. He looked over towards Marla who was no longer getting herself into a state and opted to stay calm.

"That was until I found out about my Marla," he sighed. "An old friend of mine: Marla's mother was in hospital on her death bed. She had asked for me..."

Zaeed winced as he tried removing his hand from his bloody arm to get comfortable. Shepard looked at Kasumi and tilted her head to Massani on the floor. Kasumi reluctantly untangled herself from Jacob who was half asleep on the couch and made her way to Shepard.

"Grab his left arm and i'll grab his right. On three we lift him up and on to the sofa between Jacob and Joker," Shepard ordered trying to sound polite.

"Got it," Kasumi acknowledged with a sarcastic smile.

Zaeed decided that there was no use in arguing, Shepard always got her way and if she didn't she would fight to the very end to get it. On three the two women groaned and cursed as they struggled to drag Zaeed towards the occupied sofa. All the armour and muscle made him ridiculously heavy which left the two of them panting in hard deep breaths once they finally wedged him onto the couch.

Joker moved up more than he needed to. He still wasn't quite over the fact that Massani tried to kill him a few minutes ago. The last thing he wanted to do was give him another excuse to end his life, like taking up too much space on his sofa. Beside Joker in the chair Marla accidentally let a soft giggle retreat her lips over Joker's eagerness to be as far away from her father as he could.

Joker immediately scrunched his face up in a odd manner making him look like a confused child before it dawned on him the reason why Marla was able to laugh in her situation.

The way he saw it was that although Marla was indeed laughing at him, he was the reason she was laughing. And that, was enough.

Shepard snatched her prying eyes away from Marla and Joker who's new found friendship didn't exactly please her. She waited for Kasumi to compose herself and stood before Zaeed.

"You were saying…" Shepard spoke, encouraging Zaeed to continue his story.

He looked far more relaxed now. They would still have to get the bullet out later but for now the pain didn't seem to bother him that much in his new position.

"I went to the clinic to see her, I may be cold but I wouldn't deny someone a simple request like that all because they were an ex of mine and I hadn't seen them in for at least seventeen years give or take," Zaeed recalled.

In his peripheral vision Joker could see that Marla was again focused on Massani. She was hanging off his every word as if recalling the moments herself. Her pink curls hung loose even after being mangled by all the dried up blood.

Something within him wanted to untie her, to try and tidy her up a bit. However judging by the menacing glares Shepard kept on throwing at him when she thought he wasn't looking, made him doubt that it would be a good idea and stayed put.

Zaeed clenched his fists on his lap making Joker pray that there was more room on the couch for him to move up more.

"I entered the clinic. It smelled like shit, looked like shit, it was a shit-hole to put it lightly…I found the room Chaz was being kept in after wondering around like moron repeating again and again to every doctor,_ where the fuck is room 67_? It was up six flights of stairs if I remember correctly, it took me bloody ages…"

Zaeed began to trail off into deep thought yet again, he knew it was his wound that was making him dazed but a nice nap seemed irresistible at the moment.

Shepard clicked her fingers in front of his face sharply, "Zaeed!" she voiced. "Please continue…"

He grumbled in annoyance yet carried on with his tale. "Chaz was hooked up to all these machines, she looked…well there's no getting past it, she looked like death itself."

Zaeed's eyes drifted to the left to face Marla who shifted in the chair awkwardly. "Marla was sat beside her mother holding her hand, she was about sixteen at the time…she looked up at me and and before Chaz could even speak, I knew." Zaeed's eyes glistened over yet he still looked badass, he had deep and strong emotions but he could still snap a man like a twig, hence why nobody dared to even mention how he was acting like a softie.

"She has my eyes you see," Zaeed confirmed pointing to Marla's eyes in his weak state. Everyone quickly observed and scanned for the similarities and he was right. The dark green silver tinted eyes that only matched one of his due to a scar cutting through his right eye.

"Chaz told me to take a seat, she told me there and then '_Zaeed this is your daughter, Marla_'…I didn't yell at her, I didn't smash up the place, I just accepted it. My little girl." Zaeed triggered something within Shepard. It was like she could understand exactly where he was coming from. Her eyes were beginning to water against her own will as she locked eyes with Massani.

"I had missed sixteen years of her life Shepard, and I wasn't about to miss anymore from buying and selling weapons off world on a daily basis. I made a promise to Chaz minutes before she took her last breath, that I will not continue to create or sell weapons…and I have kept that promise for four years. I don't see why I should break it now."

It all became clear to Shepard. Massani had changed for his child. Although she was grown up she was still his daughter, and he sacrificed everything he loved for her.

"Joker untie her," Shepard mumbled in defeat suddenly.

Joker became hesitant over Shepard's orders, he wanted to let Marla go but even he knew the girl was dangerous. "Shepard are you sure-"

"Yes," she commanded with confidence. She looked up at him, gave a reassuring smile and nodded.

Joker refused to answer back anymore and much to Marla's approval began to untie her wrists and ankles.

Kasumi remained by Shepard's side with her jaw hung open, she was about to protest before Shepard held up a hand forcing the the thief to back down.

She had a bad feeling about letting the hormone fuelled girl who shot Jacob run free, but Kasumi trusted Shepard. If she didn't have faith in her then who did she have faith in? But trust or no, Kasumi wasn't to happy about her decision.

Free from captivity Marla rose from the chair and broke out into a long satisfying stretch that cracked her back to her approval.

Marla noted the thief's angered looks and was more than happy to return them but first things first. Squeezing past Joker's legs she silently mouthed a "Thank You" that only he could see before hugging her father with force.

"Are you okay?" Zaeed asked running his fingers through her knotted hair. Her lip was busted along with a shiner that was beginning to develop across her right eye.

"I've been better," she joked pulling in for another hug.

Holding Marla within his arms Zaeed looked up at Shepard who was observing the scene before her. "You know, nobody did tell me why my girl looks like she's been battered." He sounded like a volcano ready to erupt. But to Shepard that meant there was time to cool him down.

"Zaeed she left me no choice, she shot Jacob," Shepard explained in a hurry.

Zaeed ignored Shepard for a second pushing Marla away and holding her by the shoulders. "Is that true? You shot Taylor?"

Marla nodded hesitantly yet nothing about her expression showed any signs of guilt which was making Kasumi even more furious.

Zaeed gave a hearty laugh. "That's my girl!…I take it you and Shepard got in a scrap after that eh? Judging by those bruises and cuts on the two of you's…"

Marla nodded again but this time with a sick grin on her face. Shepard couldn't believe it, Marla resembled Zaeed in more ways than one, it was quite scary.

"Don't know what you're smiling for, from the looks of it you lost. I didn't see Shepard strapped to a chair." On that note Zaeed gestured for Marla to sit between him and Joker, he still had a bullet wedged in his arm and was desperate to try and relax for a moment.

Marla pouted and played along despite the fact that her dad had just insulted her in front of the legend that was Shepard. She slouched herself against the matte material carelessly like a stroppy teenager. Marla crossed her arms in annoyance barging into Joker as she did so. This time Joker didn't move away but he also had the intelligence to not move closer.

"I would appreciate it Zaeed if you were to reconsider," Shepard reasoned.

She was really relying on his support, without it she was in big trouble, more trouble then she was willing to let on.

Zaeed grimaced at Shepard while fiddling with his armour. "Shepard why do you need my help? If you're still after the Reapers then aren't you better off getting the council's assistance. You have proof they exist now."

Shepard gave a hopeless laugh and paced the room slowly. Her main focus on revenge had completely taken up her thoughts. She had completely forgotten about the Reaper threat. However she was readily prepared to dismiss it. It had been four years and things were still okay…for now. For once she wanted to be selfish and right now she wanted to get her revenge before anything else.

"I'm not here to get the Reapers," Shepard informed him darkly with her back to everyone. "I'm out to get Garrus."

Zaeed stopped breathing for a second. Surely she wasn't serious?

"And why would you want to do that?" he snarled leaning forward despite how painful it was to do so.

Shepard stared helplessly at the floor and in a husky voice whispered, "Why do you think?"

It all suddenly dawned on Zaeed. Everything slotted into place. He didn't bother with unneeded questions of how it was even possible for Garrus to get her pregnant or how it was even possible for Garrus to shoot her and his child, traitor or no it was something you just didn't do.

Shepard was a fighter he'd give her that and Garrus was an old friend of his. But he knew where his loyalties lied.

"Shepard," Zaeed breathed.

Her eyes were bloodshot but she turned around anyway to face him. Joker looked concerned like he just wanted to get up and hug her despite his issues with displays of affection.

Kasumi seemed to have the same idea but like Joker remained seated. Zaeed ignored the rest of the world for those few seconds and gave Shepard his full attention.

"You know that promise I swore to keep and have kept for four years now?" he reminded her.

Shepard nodded lightly biting her lip.

Zaeed smiled at her contently with no venom behind it for what would be the first time ever. He actually looked quite loveable when he smiled and meant it. But it was nothing compared to the words that left his mouth next.

"Consider it broken."


	16. You've Gone Soft

**A/N: **Words cannot explain how sorry I am that I have yet again taken so long to get this chapter up. To all you readers out there that are sticking with this I thank you. Again I would love some constructive criticism. My writer's block had prevented me from actually writing something that I feel is decent enough to read. So any suggestions or thoughts would be immensely appreciated. Thanks again you awesome O's!

I do not own Mass Effect or Kill Bill :'(

* * *

Usually when inside a hospital you will be questioned on why you have bullet wounds. However _this _was Omega.

Shepard found herself in Zaeed's bathroom half laughing and crying. She shook uncontrollably while pressing her hand to her mouth. All you could hear were muffled giggles.

They had all got back from the clinic about an hour ago after waiting in line impatiently. A Salarian who was in front of them couldn't help but stare at the unlikely group. Shepard along with Marla was battered and bruised, Zaeed was slouched against a wall next to Jacob who were both suffering from bullet wounds while Kasumi and Joker were sipping on some coffee marvelling at the scene before them.

The reception desk was busy as usual ignoring most patients and ushering them to join the back of the line.

When Shepard last visited Omega's clinic to recruit Mordin she just assumed that the place was hectic and un-organised due to the plague that was present in the area. This however was not the case. Plague or no the clinic remained unstable with a massive amount of patients that continued to cough and splutter everywhere.

Kasumi knocked hesitantly on the bathroom door. "Shepard are you okay in there?"

Shepard stiffened into a tense position with both her hands supporting her weight on the sink. She held her breath to try and cover up her giggling fit.

In a high pitched voice she quickly said, "I'm fine thanks."

Again another laugh crept up her throat. Shepard bit down on her lip hard which only caused her body to shake recklessly.

"Okay…" Kasumi replied unconvinced. "We are all in the living room if you need us."

On that note Shepard thankfully heard Kasumi retreat away from the door. She breathed in and out slowly trying to control herself. For some reason she seemed to be having a breakdown that was unfortunately making her ball her eyes out and burst into fits of giggles at the same time.

While steadying herself against the sink it hit Shepard that she was actually doing this. After all her years in the military she was used to getting up and doing a mission straight away and at the last minute. But this? This was something she was doing for her own benefit, she was tired, she was weak but her lust for revenge kept her going.

In such a short time span she already had everything going to plan. Shepard began to wonder how hard everything was actually going to get from this checkpoint. They had Massani on their side, meaning they had the firepower, firepower to take Jack and her militia down. After that? Well she'll work that part out once Jack was out of the picture.

Shepard gazed at her reflection in the mirror and wiped her eyes roughly before unlocking the door and leaving her little place of comfort.

Strolling towards the lounge Shepard could hear Marla say, "So they loved each other?"

Shepard still wasn't too sure about Zaeed's daughter especially after seeing how quick she was to react to their intrusion earlier. In some ways she reminded Shepard of Jack hence why she disliked her so much.

"Who knows?" Joker replied dumbfounded.

Kasumi quickly interjected into the conversation looking outside the window that returned a harsh view of Omega's scenery. "I think they did."

Shepard remained behind the wall deciding on the spot to listen for while longer. Peering into the well placed mirror on the opposing wall she grinned for she now had a visual on everyone in the room.

Marla's eyes widened in confusion. "But isn't this _Garrus _a turian?"

"Yep." Zaeed answered straight away regardless of whether or not the question was aimed at him. "And a good friend," he continued taking a sip of beer.

Shepard didn't realise her hands had balled themselves into fists until an aching sensation ran up her arm. She forced herself to remain in the shadows.

"If he's such a good friend then why are you helping Shepard take him down?" Jacob grimaced from across the room looking back to his usual self after being in the clinic for a few hours.

Zaeed took one last swig that finished the bottle and slammed it on the table. "Shepard is a good friend too," he defended. "Call me old fashioned but there's just some things you just don't do in the universe, take killing your girlfriend and child for example."

A tear dripped down Shepard's cheek making her wince. This was weakness, and with a mission as crucial as this there was no room for weakness.

"So that's why you're in on this? Helping us take Garrus' operations and his life all because of principle?" Jacob stabbed while receiving a frustrated glare from Kasumi who was sat next to him.

Zaeed never did like Jacob. He respected him. But 'respect' and 'like' were two different worlds. Shepard however made the two worlds collide. Zaeed respected her and actually grew to like her. Shepard's uncanny leadership and devotion to her crew was always enough to spark loyalty in any crew member.

"I'm not helping _you_ lot," Zaeed retaliated. "I'm helping Shepard."

He was curt but truthful. He didn't really mind the crew that much back in the day, and Zaeed didn't exactly have anything against Kasumi or Joker. Regardless of their presence Zaeed wanted to be sure that Jacob got the picture, that there was no way he was doing all this because of the company.

Jacob didn't flinch at his words, he only nodded. That was their mutual understanding. The recognition that the two did indeed hate one another, but had both pledged themselves under Shepard's command once again.

Shepard couldn't help but smile removing all the nagging thoughts that were forming within her head. With another brush to her damp face Shepard waltzed into the lounge before everyone.

"Shepard," Joker greeted happy to have someone decent to talk to. "You took your time in there, some of us actually need to use the bathroom you know?"

"Toilets blocked," rumbled Zaeed in a humorous tone.

"This day just keeps getting better and better," murmured Joker in response.

Usually when Joker complained or sulked he pulled his cap over his eyes and hugged himself like a child. But without a cap to cover his face Joker resigned to awkward stares from side to side.

He looked different without a trusty cap on. A conversation back on the Normandy informed Shepard that the cap Joker wore wasn't anything to do with it being his lucky charm. He merely just enjoyed wearing a hat.

Without it Shepard could see his rugged brown hair that he had actually let grow since the last time she saw him. She still hadn't gotten used to seeing him without a hat on his head which created an itch of suspicion. Why on Earth did he ever stop wearing it?

Joker raised an eyebrow when he caught Shepard staring directly at him. In fact everyone within the room was silent observing what exactly Shepard was doing.

She aimed a gentle smile at Joker as if to get inside his mind, to inform him of why she was just standing there looking at him. A communication only good friends could actually understand.

He looked confused squinting his eyes slightly, _"What are you doing?"_

Shepard raised both eyebrows and edged her head to his hair, _"Why aren't you wearing a hat?"_

Joker scoffed and uncrossed his arms as he stared back, _"I'll explain later."_

Throughout Shepard's Alliance training she always remembered being taught how to read body language for you never know when you may need to. She did it frequently in her classes often shooting glances at fellow students that their drill instructor was an asshole.

Shepard took a spare seat beside Joker making a mental note to pull him up on his silent word.

Everyone in the room was awaiting her command instead of making their own decisions. Technically she was no longer their commander unless it was a sign of respect, respect for her that they all maintained for four years.

"Zaeed do you know the location of Jack?" Shepard asked uncomfortably.

"I don't i'm afraid," was his reply. He looked towards his daughter. "But Marla does."

"_Great_," Shepard mumbled sarcastically.

Of all the people it had to be Marla. There was no way she wanted to work with a hormonal teenager, especially one that tried to kill them.

Joker glanced at Marla sympathetically before turning to face Shepard. "I'm sure she will be a big help," he reassured.

"Oh do you now?" Shepard replied with a questioning gaze.

Joker sighed, he hated being put on the spot. "Look all i'm saying is that if she knows where Jack is then that should be good enough. We know she can handle herself in a fight…"

Shepard stared at Marla the whole time Joker spoke. Marla had her legs spread with her left foot on the couch. She continued to twirl her pink hair through her fingers which was beginning to agitate Shepard.

"I'm going to have to agree with Joker on this one," Jacob said from across the room making Kasumi suddenly sit up-straight with more force than needed.

"You've got be be joking?" Kasumi spat. "She shot you!" Kasumi pointed her finger at Marla to emphasise her point. Marla didn't flinch at the thief's intervention she just continued to play with her hair.

"Kass I understand that you are angry but it proves that she will be an asset to our cause," Jacob explained completely mellow and relaxed.

Kasumi scoffed. "Angry?..I'm angry that _you're_ not angry!" She flung her arms in the air refusing to acknowledge Marla which was a well played move on her part. One smirk from the teen could have provoked the thief to lash out even more.

"If I can forgive her then so can you…" Jacob concluded locking eyes with Kasumi.

Oh the drama! Shepard found a sudden interest in the floor and trained her eyes on it escaping any other arguments that managed to submerse.

She needed to be back in control, being told that Marla was her only option to finding Jack took away any chance of that. She took a deep breath ignoring everyone within the room. She had weapons, a big enough team and a lead to Jack. Yet there was just something deep inside her that itched, that screamed out that all this would not be enough. The more she focused on the disadvantages the more she became weak. With another trained intake of breath she stood up abruptly before her crew. She was going to take back her control.

"Here's how this is going to go down," Shepard voiced grabbing everyone's attention."Zaeed I need you to supply us with enough firepower to take down take down Jack's base of operations," she ordered firmly.

Zaeed cracked a lopsided smile. "When do you want it all by?"

Shepard quickly scanned her crew before coming to a decision. "Tomorrow," she answered. Her lust for revenge was screaming at her to say she wanted them now. But everyone was exhausted and as much as she hated to admit it so was she. Tomorrow they would begin their onslaught. That way she had enough time to keep not only herself but Aria sated, that's if they managed to pull it off.

Zaeed didn't object to her request. "Consider it done."

Shepard nodded and returned to her speech. "Tomorrow we are going to take down Jack and return to the Normandy back to its rightful owners, it _will_ be dangerous. We lack numbers but make up for that with our skill. If somebody here wishes to back out i'm not going to force you to stay..."

Joker smiled drawn in by Shepard's powerful aura. She had him on board as soon as he saw her back on Earth. "I'm in," he stated. "Somebody has to fly my baby and it's going to be me."

For a moment Kasumi's lips parted to object. She halted herself for a moment. This was not what she had in mind. She had hoped that everything would run smoothly, they did indeed have a plan but how bulletproof was it? They were siding with Marla and Zaeed who were too trigger happy for her own taste.

It was hard for Kasumi to choose between her loyalty to Shepard and her own preference of going back to Earth with Joker and Jacob. From what she could see the two men were not going anywhere, they worshipped Shepard and would go down fighting till their last breath for her. And just like that Kasumi's decision was made.

"Count me in too," she exclaimed trying not to sound too unsure about her sudden choice.

The remaining squad-mates kept silent, using that to confirm their utmost devotion to Shepard's mission. Zaeed popped a cigar into his mouth lighting it firmly before resting back into his armchair. He formed circles of smoke with his mouth as if signalling Shepard the all clear.

She had no idea that she had actually been holding her breath for that one and finally exhaled. _So far so good._

"We will split up into two teams," Shepard continued hesitantly. "I will lead squad one and Zaeed I want you to lead squad two."

Zaeed blew the grey smoke from his nose and nodded in confirmation.

"Jacob, Joker I want you both in squad two. Zaeed you and your squad will be in charge of hijacking the Normandy. I'm relying on you guys to be in Omega's docking port for our exit out of here."

"We won't let you down Commander," said Jacob with a fierce look in his eyes.

Shepard turned to the remaining squad, double taking on what she was about to say.

"Kasumi, Marla, you guys are on my squad. We will be the ones to infiltrate Jack's base, and _kill _her." Shepard's words came out like venom with extra poison on the 'kill'.

She expected some resistance on Marla's side only to be surprised by her enthusiasm, "Finally some fucking action."

The mercenary instantly fidgeted in his chair.

"Oi," warned Zaeed. "This ain't no skip in the park. Remember everything I taught you girl, and do_ everything_ Shepard tells you to do."

They way Zaeed looked at Marla made Shepard shiver. That was his daughter and he was more worried about her disobeying her orders than her getting killed. Unless Zaeed trusted her leadership that much that he was confident that no harm would come to her?

Marla nodded genuinely at Zaeed and settled down in defeat.

"Zaeed do you mind if we all crash here tonight?" Shepard asked changing the subject. There was no way they could all stay up late if this was actually going to all kick off tomorrow.

"If you can find a place to kip then yeah, fine by me," he answered finishing his cigar.

"Okay everyone find somewhere to sleep and be up and ready at 9am," Shepard ordered watching everyone except Zaeed leave the living room to find a bed of some sort.

Shepard stared at Massani suspiciously. "Are you just going to retire there?"

Zaeed sighed, "Maybe in a moment or two." He stood up, stretched and then looked down the hallway where the bathroom was. "Follow me," he said already walking away.

Shepard froze for a second unsure of what Zaeed was up to. He turned around halfway and shot her an impatient look. Hesitantly she took one step before the other and whisked down the hallway with him.

To her surprise there was another room besides the bathroom down the hall. As she followed Massani inside she could see it wasn't the best looking room in the world but descent enough to sleep in. Inside Shepard could just about see a double bed situated at the far end of the room covered in silk red sheets.

Shepard raised an eyebrow at Zaeed. "You know I think i'm okay with sleeping on the sofa," Shepard voiced.

Zaeed turned to face Shepard confused until he realised what the situation looked like. He cackled softly to himself but didn't respond.

He ignored Shepard's questioning stares and retreated to a a computer next to his bed that was the only source of light for the dim room.

He typed away quickly at the orange console still keeping his back to Shepard who refused to move from the doorway: Her only escape route if Zaeed were to try anything funny.

A beeping sound resonated on the computer. Zaeed took a step back.

Before her eyes a wall slid open slowly illuminating the room with a blue glow that came from whatever was inside it.

Zaeed looked back at Shepard with a look of remorse and achievement.

He didn't have to ask her to come over. Somehow her legs decided to pace forward towards the blue light. Curiosity was going to be the death of her one day. Although with her track record she hoped she was wrong.

Zaeed stood by Shepard's side and focused his eyes on the most cherished possession he owned. Something that came first in his heart before he realised he had a daughter.

"I remember Vakarian telling me that I had the skill to fix any weapon in the universe…" Zaeed whispered letting his mind sink into memories. "Without him saying that I doubt this would have even been possible…" he trailed off and looked Shepard dead in the face.

She still found it hard to control her emotions when _his_ name was said. She knew that Zaeed knew it too, hence why she continued staring into the neon blue storage instead of retuning his stare.

"He _was _a good friend Shepard. The amount of times he saved my arse..." Zaeed shook his head concealing a grin. "You know if he weren't a bloke…"

Shepard couldn't help but laugh uncontrollably letting it end in a whimper. A tear escaped her eye only to be wiped away by Zaeed's rough thumb. It smelled of strong tobacco and felt like leather when it made contact with her cheek. She didn't flinch or force him away. It was hard for Zaeed to express his feelings and he was really trying here. Maybe it was the fact he had a daughter now, he was no longer uncomfortable in these kinds of situations.

Before Marla was introduced into his life, Zaeed always kind of considered Shepard as a daughter. Although he would never let her know that. Shepard was more than capable of taking care of herself but when he used to combat train with her he couldn't help but feel some kind of proudness within the pit of his stomach. He would teach her all the tricks he had learned throughout his years as a mercenary, and she would learn and get better and better with practice.

Zaeed liked to think that the teachings were one sided. Yet he knew he would be wrong. Where he had taught Shepard all the tricks of combat she had taught him to let go of the past.

The first time they had met he considered her to be an arrogant child ready to throw her life away believing she was doing some good for the galaxy. It was only when Shepard prevented him from loading a bullet into Vigo's head that he realised she wasn't a child, she was a complete _bitch_. Where she had the balls to punch him she also had the old ball and chain of command that pulled her down into the dreaded mist of being the good guy.

Even now at this very moment Zaeed was not sure if he had forgiven her for letting Vigo getting away. He penetrated her defences merging right into her core. He could see past this whole act and she knew he could. A part of him wanted to shake her, wanted to yell at her. He wanted Shepard to see what she becoming. _Just like him._

Revenge was cold on her lips, consuming every hesitation and second thought. He understood what she was going through, God did he know she was going through. He took pity for once, he wouldn't stop her like she stopped him. The scenarios were exactly the same and completely different at the same time. She needed the closure she was trying snatch.

Zaeed did not say say a word the moment he wiped her tear away. A weakness he had experienced a few times. He removed his hand from her face and crossed his arms. He refused to hold her, even if that is what she needed. He had hoped that Shepard, one of the finest warriors in the galaxy understood his gesture.

Comfort and reassuring words could be uttered once this mess was all over. Now…now was the time to get battered to the ground and get back up ready for more.

The pain she was in was brought up due to his own fault, he knew that much. He backtracked wondering if it was such good idea to bring up old memories but concluded that he would not tip toe around her. At some point she would have to face her demons. And when the time came he wanted to do one more thing that would give her an advantage. One last favour. He owed _his _girl that much.

"No one has ever been worthy of her," Zaeed continued vaguely.

He carefully reached into the blue depths of what seemed like a well hidden safe built into the wall.

Shepard tensed when Zaeed pulled out one of the most finest assault rifles she had ever seen. He paused his actions and took a moment to caress the scope before taking a deep breath and slowly thrusted it towards her.

"You…" he breathed. "Are an exception."

Shepard's mouth hung wide open unable able to fathom a response. She gently grabbed the weapon and studied the craftsmanship that went into it. A blue light glowed along the scope along with a black metal that drenched it's surface. It was beyond beautiful.

Shepard lifted the rifle to her shoulder and peered at Zaeed who was smiling softy through the scope. _Perfect accuracy._

As she pulled the gun away Shepard couldn't help but notice that something had been carved onto the rifle's side. She brought it to eye level only to hold her breath.

Inscribed roughly on the cheek rest was the name 'Jessie'.

Shepard shook her head and felt a a pang of honor tighten her lungs. "Zaeed…how did you…"

"Wasn't easy," he sighed lighting up a cigarette. Zaeed inhaled deeply savouring the nicotine. This was turning out to be more difficult then he had planned. "Your mission will pan out a lot easier with her by your side, just…promise me, that you _will _rake up a good kill count."

Shepard felt uncomfortable with taking Jessie from Zaeed. She knew how much she meant to him. He and Garrus shared the same kind of relationships with their guns, it was like it was their offspring. Their own flesh and blood. It only just occurred to Shepard that Garrus didn't even bother to shoot her with his favoured sniper rifle. He could have managed a close range shot without any repercussions with the skills he acquired. Maybe that's how low he considered her to be. She wasn't worthy of his rifle.

Shepard felt sick. She was actually getting angry over what gun Garrus chose to shoot her with? She really was sinking into the void.

Making a decision to not be ungrateful Shepard whispered, "Thank you." Her hand gently touched Zaeed's shoulder plate before quickly retreating back to her side.

A grumble flew up Zaeed's throat. He couldn't hack all these emotional moments.

"Probably be a good idea to get some sleep," he murmured closing the wall that covered the storage where Jessie once laid. Dotting his cigarette into the bedside ashtray Zaeed looked back up at Shepard who was still mesmerised with his handy work upon the once deceased rifle.

In many ways Jessie metaphorically resembled Shepard. They both had their kill counts only to have their essence and skill snatched away from them before it was their time. Give it a few years and they were back from the dead, upgraded and deadlier than ever, ready to kill again.

Shepard really was the only exception.

"You can sleep here, i'll take the couch," he offered taking his leave from the room.

Shepard continued to observe Jessie until she noticed that Zaeed had halted his steps at the door.

"One last thing Shepard," Zaeed said in a hushed manner. "I know she can be a right bitch at times but…bring my girl back in one piece."

It took Shepard a few seconds to realise that he wasn't talking about Jessie for once. The great Zaeed Massani was becoming a real soft touch.

"You have my word," Shepard replied confidently.

On that note Zaeed exited down the hallway without another utterance leaving Shepard to prepare for her fight with Jack tomorrow.


	17. When The Dangers Are Great, Infiltrate

**A/N: **I have literally just finished this. I have college tomorrow, or shall I say today seeing as it will be 12:00am in nine minutes. I have proof read this twice now much to my dismay, but there may be some things that I have missed. If you spot them please let me know. Again sorry for the long wait, things have been hectic as usual. But hey, longest chapter yet, yayyeah! A big thank you to all of you guys that have reviewed, alerted and favourited, tis the reason I continue writing. I am not sure if I like this chapter but you guys have waited long enough. I would give you all cookies if I could! It also occurred to me the other day that what with ME3 being announced, I now actually have a deadline to complete Kill Garrus Volume 1,2, and 3! Did I say 3? Yep I did. You will all understand soon...eventually...I hope :/ But yeah have to get it done before it comes out because 1. The story just wouldn't make any sense any more and 2. I will be playing it day and night so in other words the story will not be finished and Shepard will not have her revenge. I am now going to have a well deserved Pepsi Max and sleep. Bless your face! If you sneeze while reading this then BLESS YOU! (If anybody knows who I am quoting then you are awesome and I love you)

Songs which made this possible: Cells by The Servant, Clubbed To Death by Rob D, Fluke by Zion, The Entire Kill Bill Soundtrack, Running Up That Hill by Placebo and the Kane and Lynch soundtrack.

* * *

"What's the word?" Jack asked as she studied her gaze on Omega's scenic overlook. _Well, what she described as scenic._

Her asari companion scanned through her omni-tool lazily as she leaned against the balcony. "In the past couple of days Aria hasn't gave us any trouble…"

Jack took a swig of whiskey straight from the bottle letting it burn coarsely through her body. "How delightful," she hissed.

The asari shut her omni down and smirked at the biotic with her arm perched up on the railing. "You don't look delighted."

"Well thank you captain obvious, I want to know why she has suddenly stopped throwing men our way," Jack voiced. Her arms became engulfed in an electric blue and white haze. She needed to kill something, anything!

Jack pushed away from the railing and began pacing up and down the balcony with clenched fists. She hated it when she was kept in the dark and that damned asari was at ease with it. She should just blast her off the building and send her flying into Omega's core. But if she were to do that then who would keep track of all the profit she was making? Or sorting out everything that would involve Jack answering calls on her omni-tool regularly and booking meetings with various dick heads?

"Morinth," Jack exhaled sharply. "I'm going to the luxury suite upstairs, send my men to me and tell that blonde bitch I want some of the hard stuff."

Jack finished the bottle of whiskey and threw it over the side of the balcony. She faltered in her footsteps to the door when she heard a sharp smash and some random civilian scream, "What the fuck?"

She laughed darkly to herself as she continued to head towards the doorway and up the stairs.

Morinth called out to her. "I think the luxury suite is occupied."

Jack glared at the asari before a devilish grin curled along her face. "Not for long," she whispered menacingly.

* * *

Shepard walked along the sidewalk outside the restaurant that Marla had sent them all to.

The restaurant was modern and lacked an architect's touch like most of the buildings around Omega, yet it stood out. Fluorescent red and gold lights tangled themselves along the exterior walls creating a flame effect. It suited the name 'Hells Kitchen' perfectly.

Shepard turned back around to face Kasumi and Marla standing a width apart. They were both rairing to go, having not experienced some action for a few years.

Shepard had already checked on Zaeed, Joker and Jacob earlier. They were in position having already tracked the Normandy to one of Omega's docking ports. She made a silent wish that her part of the plan would go as smoothly as theirs was.

Now that she was in position with her team it was time to get the show on the road.

"Kasumi," Shepard said sternly grabbing the thief's full attention. "Whenever you're ready."

Shepard stood to the side gesturing for Kasumi to begin. Shepard was glad she brought Kasumi along, she missed the glint that appeared in the thief's eye whenever she got excited about a mission. Kasumi had her signature glint at that very moment as she nodded with the utmost confidence and began walking ahead.

Kasumi turned her walk into a smooth sprint making sure to focus on her breathing in order to prepare her body for what was to come. Saying that it had been a while since she did something like this would have been an understatement. Kasumi dearly missed her days infiltrating bases using only her skills and her beloved cloak. Shepard would never know the full extent of her actions, the deep repercussions of actually letting her get back to doing what she does best without question.

Kasumi's pace grew faster as she noted the height of the flaming restaurant and observed every nook and crevice that would support her weight when she began climbing. Finally she leapt of the ground with a graceful force and scaled the restaurants second story wall.

Her grace did not go un-noticed by Shepard and Marla who were observing Kasumi's every move from the stability of the sidewalk. Shepard was exceptionally talented in the art of combat. Her cheography on the battle field was mesmerising enough to spark respect and even fear. After taking a bullet to the head Shepard no longer had Cerberus to fall back on. That meant no cybernetics, no scar treatment and no combat training. She had to rely on her own strength as a soldier in order to recover and get her body and mind back to the way it was. In fact it was in the morning before her crew headed off into Omega's district that Shepard was up at 6:00am working out and generating biotic shields. She needed to keep her body maintained and ready.

In a week a newly awoken comatose patient would be taking their first steps by now. In a week Shepard was walking, driving, shooting and getting into fights. She couldn't fathom whether the fact was a miracle or just plain sad.

As Shepard focused on Kasumi a pang of jealousy struck as did a sting of realisation. She was considered the greatest asset to Humanity and yet she had died, _twice._ Shepard wasn't the best free-runner either. It was something she always wished she could have excelled in. Kasumi danced from ledge to ledge effortlessly as if gliding in the air on a world that had zero gravity. Shepard was suppose to be perfect, an indestructible being put on a pedestal for every species to see. But Shepard could not do what Kasumi was more than capable of doing. Shepard gently smiled for she realised that for the first time ever that she wasn't perfect and better yet she was no longer deemed to be God-like.

Shepard was just a soldier. A soldier dedicated to every mission she had been on and given. For once, just this once, she was in complete control. No Illusive Man and no council, only her. Shepard was on a high priority mission that _she_ wanted to complete, a mission that was without a deadline but needed to be done. Shepard was not perfect and she revelled at the thought more than anyone of her crew mates could've imagined.

* * *

The thief adjusted her position slightly so that she had a good grip on the ledge she was clinging on to. It pleased her that even though she wasn't as young as she used to be she could still free run pretty well. Keije would have been impressed. He would have considered the mere act as a challenge and would have begun chasing after her ledge by ledge. The thought made her smile as she continued pulling herself up to the distant rooftop.

The restaurant had ten floors according to Marla, and Kasumi was beginning to feel the fatigue of such information. Looking down did not help her current situation and neither did looking up. It seemed like a never ending void of wall, one that she had to continue climbing much to her dismay.

As she continued her tasking journey, Kasumi began to thank Marla's vulgar taste in clothing. To her surprise the tight black body suit which left little to the imagination, allowed her to contort her body in whatever way she wanted to. She was thankfully able to bring her leg all the way up to the restaurants chipped off ledges without being prevented by a stiff material that had no leverage. As useful as the suit was she couldn't help but think of how someone like Miranda would've taken pride in wearing such an atrocity. The woman wouldn't be admiring how much leverage the material had that was for sure.

With a few more heaving pulls Kasumi had reached the top of the roof. She carefully threw her leg over first and performed a well placed roll that brought her back onto the balls of her feet.

Kasumi paused, letting her silver stained eyes take in the sights. The view was neither beautiful nor ugly. The word spectacular arose within Kasumi's mind but even then that sounded too kind. There was actually a breeze of air this high up. She hadn't felt the beauty of a cool breeze on her face ever since arriving on Omega. The station just had a way of being either humid or cold. A pleasant breeze would never occur amongst the hustle of the packed districts. It was good to take a breather even if just for a second, and bask in the fake wondrous lights that occupied Omega's architecture.

With one last savouring breath Kasumi looked back down from the roof to see Marla and Shepard. Even though they were the size of dust mites at that precise moment, the thief could just about see that the pair had kitted up and were ready to go.

Kasumi saluted. That was their signal.

In a matter of seconds Kasumi had left the pairs sight. She quickly strolled over to a ventilation shaft that was situated in the middle of the roof. She knelt down beside it and scanned it with her omni-tool in order to disable the locks. With a satisfying beep the thief smiled as she enabled her cloak and slipped into the darkness of the vent.

* * *

Shepard and Marla were already on their way to front door of 'Hell's Kitchen' by the time Kasumi had left their sights. Shepard would have preferred having Kasumi by her side for this mission other than Marla. However the theif was the only one out of the terrible trio that could climb a structure the size of of a citadel claw.

Shepard had to give it to Kasumi, she still had it in her.

Out of the corner of her eye Shepard could just about see Marla waving her arms about frantically.

"Earth to Shepard?" Marla yelled. She was frozen in an exasperated posture that left her arms flung out as if grabbing the air itself, her mouth was left wide open as if she trying her best to speak. She looked ridiculous to say the least. For a girl that had prided herself the whole morning about being mature for her age she was acting really childish.

Shepard held in a laugh and applied an innocent look to her face. "Sorry Marla did you say something?"

Marla groaned in frustration and pushed her now clenched fists to her sides. "I have been talking to you this _whole _time, and you wasn't even paying attention?"

"Must have zoned out," Shepard replied nonchalantly.

Marla scoffed in aggravation. She was fully aware that Shepard did not intend to make this easy for her. Marla understood that she was an outsider within the group by the way Shepard continued dismiss her plainly.

Every time Marla tried to break through Shepard's blood stained armor she failed miserably. It struck Marla that perhaps Shepard was completely impervious. If your child was killed while you were left for dead by the man, or in this case turian that you loved it was bound to affect you one way or another.

The thought sent a chill down her spine. Marla had heard of battle scars but nothing as traumatic as Shepard's story. Marla concluded that Shepard was pretty much a full blown bitch in her eyes, that didn't however stop her from feeling an ounce of sympathy and respect. Many people could not have gone through what the warrior that stood before her had. All of that suffering had to stand for something, bitch or no.

Marla regained her composure refusing to let her anger get the better of her.

"I said it might be a good idea if I did the talking," Marla repeated.

Shepard resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "And why would I let you do that?" she questioned, caution evident within her voice.

Marla's red lips twisted into a sick smirk. Her resemblance to Zaeed was uncanny to say the least. Her presence became dominant with a grin as evil as hers. It didn't scare Shepard to her witts end but it did unnerve her in more ways than one.

"The bodyguards know me and should let us through with no hesitation," Marla proclaimed.

Shepard studied the teenager. Marla had finally morphed her expression into proud smile that suited her better. At least now she didn't look like was from the depths of hell itself.

Shepard shook her head lazilly. She couldn't believe she was saying this. "Very well."

She suddenly flinched at Marla's startled reaction. The pink haired girl squelled "Yes" pumping a thin fist into the air and stormed forward to the entrance.

Shepard prayed that she wouldn't regret this.

* * *

Kasumi was quick and agile, therefore she gained the upper hand on any body guards that wished to rudely interupt her apparent intrusion.

She had landed swiftly into a dark and inconspicuous room, that was until the automatic lights flickered to life near enough blinding her on the spot.

As her eyes adjusted she could see that the room was decorated with much taste. The red walls contrasted well with the demonic statues that situated beside them.

The thief was unsure whether or not the statues had purposely been placed in certain posistions so that the lighting caused eery shadows to emit from them and crawl along the walls.

As much as she admired the masterpieces...and the high price that one would pay for such art, she couldn't get over just how creepy everything looked.

She made a mental note that if, and only if they survived this ordeal she would be inclined to take a memento. A little something that could spice up her place, or better yet be of value.

A clutter of muffled noises from outside the room discoursed her train of thought.

"I'm telling you I heard something," grumbled a distant voice.

"Yabe!" Kasumi hissed in a hushed manner.

Her arm glowed a golden mixture of orange and gold as she frantically scoured her omni-tool for the restuarants blue prints.

"Your always hearing _something_!" another voice stated. "You need to get it into you thick skull that when your on duty you don't have to jump at every fucking thing you hear!"

Kasumi suppressed a giggle, now was not the time, especially when it sounded like they were getting closer to the door.

"I'm serious this time," the suspicious guard defended.

Yep. Definitely getting _way_ to close to the door.

"Goddess give me strength...where did you hear the noise?"

To Kasumi's delight the blue sprints sprung up before her indicating that the fuse box should be...

"In here," the guard replied.

The two guards charged into the room with both their assualt rifles raised. They didn't look like they belonged to a particular mercenary group.

One was an Asari and the other was a confused Batarian.

The batarian scratched his scalp gently taking in the empty room. He recieved a penetrating glare from the asari that stood beside him.

"Give me one good reason not to unload this whole thermal clip into every one of your eyes," the asari roared aiming her rifle at the dumbfounded batarian.

Kasumi thanked whomever designed this place. She casually stood next to the fuse box which was convieniantly placed by the door.

They still hadn't bothered to turn around yet, the stupidity of some people.

Kasumi leaned against the wall watching the two guards yelling at one another, but now the insults were begininng to get boring. She grinned madly as it occured to her that not only could she deactivate the fuse box as she intended but also have a bit of fun with her new friends.

* * *

A turian bouncer stood primitively outside the restaurant. He was much bulkier than the turians Shepard had met in her lifetime. He had a washed out grey hide and lacked a facial tattoo.

Shepard remembered what Garrus had told her about barefaced turians. They were considered to be untrustworthy, whether or not Garrus considered them to be that way she didn't know. She never asked.

The turian eyed the pair as a warning, as if he had heard Shepard's every thought. She halted her steps so that there was at least four feet between them. Marla didn't seem to share the same idea.

She lazily continued walking towards the barefaced turian with a smug grin on her red painted lips.

The turian looked down at the puny human who was tiny in structure and height. "Name?" he sighed clutching the guest list within his palms.

"Marla Massani," she drooled. If this was Marla acting then she was a damn good actress. Shepard tried to dismiss the idea that the young girl was actually attracted to the bouncer.

The turian skimmed through the list while Marla kept her eyes locked on him with a penetrating stare.

As the turian looked up he instinctively backed away when he realised just how close the human girl had got to him.

He let out an aggravated groan. "Your name is not on the list," he seethed. If he had a credit for every time a pathetic human tried to get into the restaurant he would...

"That's a shame," Marla breathed innocently. "Perhaps we could come to another arrangement?"

The turian was _not _expecting that.

Neither was Shepard.

Marla refused to look away from the turian's golden eyes as his gaze began to aqquiant itself with her body.

Shepard didn't realize that until now that she was gawking at them with her mouth hung open. Surely Marla wasn't serious? When she said she had a plan to get in, not once did it occur to Shepard that Massani's daughter would try to seduce the bouncer.

Her hand slowly crept to Jessie, but her back was bare. It dawned on Shepard that Kasumi wasn't just sent in to disable the security systems but to plant their weapons. Shepard was certain that a high class place like this was bound to have a security check for any kind of weaponry. On the other hand Jack could have probably demanded to come in with rocket launcher and the security would of allowed it.

By the time Shepard snapped out of her trance Marla was leading the eager turian away from the door to an empty alleyway near the restaurant.

Shepard was speechless. That, should not have worked.

Before they faded out of sight around the corner Marla shouted reassuringly, "You go ahead Shep, i'll be inside soon."

And with that said Shepard grinned and made her way into 'Hell's Kitchen'. She couldn't believe that Marla's plan actually worked. Her conscience was telling her to run back outside and stop Marla from doing something she would regret. She was Zaeed's daughter for God's sake. No. She wasn't going to go out there. She was going to be selfish. If Marla wanted to be treated like an adult, then she will.

As much as Shepard believed in her somewhat rash decision she made a silent prayer that Zaeed would never find out about the little incident.

The lights inside 'Hells Kitchen' were fairly dim. Shepard didn't understand how it was possible to eat if you couldn't see anything clearly.

In the middle of the room was a red circle stage with a distinctive metal pole. Perhaps eating wasn't the only thing this place was famous for.

Loud edgy music blasted from an unknown source setting a tantalising party scene. It would be easy to say that it reminded Shepard of 'Afterlife' but this place had it's own unique feel to it.

A couple of of aliens situated themselves around the stage with their omni-tools at the ready. Three turians, two batarians, a human and an asari all looked transfixed by the stage's bright azure lights that floated on the surface and created a relaxed atmosphere.

Shepard however felt tense, tenser than usual.

The knowledge that Jack was within the very building made her muscles itch in anticipation. It wouldn't be long now till she had that bitch within her grasp.

Shepard did a double take on her surroundings. A few guards were dispersed in certain areas of the restaurant. The observation should have worried her, but it only increased her anger. More time would be wasted on the small time security workers, therefore creating a longer wait for the woman she so desperately wanted to make beg for mercy.

All the commander could do for now was wait. The deal was that she wasn't to do anything until Kasumi gave the all clear. Shepard was yet to hear from the estranged thief who had been silent for nearly twenty minutes. Slightly pissed off that she was completely alone, Shepard took a seat in a booth that reeked of solitude and made no effort to stand out.

Shepard wasn't the most patient person in the world, but she would be damned if she was considered to be unreliable. Hence why she kept herself calm and seated instead of blasting her way through as many guards as she could in order to murder Jack.

A stripper appeared suddenly and centered herself on the stage oozing confidence from every pore. She was young and vibrant, couldn't have been that old. One hundred maybe? The definition of her fringe was minuscular to say the least, not that it wasn't elegantly polished but it did lack the 'gets better with age' look.

Her age didn't seem to bother the over-eager patrons much. They were already transferring credits into the girl's omni-tool, probably trying to get her going.

The asari birthed a smile of confidence as she slowly draped the curve of her spine against the cold pole. The stripper in question certainly knew how to put on a show. The hazy blue lights seemed to dance around her instead of it being the other way round. The girl had everyone's attention, Shepard included.

She always was jealous of the asari race. Which human woman wasn't?

Deciding on the spot to stay put until Kasumi confirmed that everything was ready, Shepard kept her gaze on the entertainment before her. She could only hope that the wait wouldn't be too excruciating.

* * *

Kasumi's breath hitched slightly as the guards paused. They had been arguing for a while now, it was inevitable that they would soon realize how childish they were acting and get back to their patrol.

Unfortunately for them Kasumi enjoyed playing games. Yes, she could always just activate her cloak and be done with it, but that option would leave her more bored than she was now. That would never do...

The thief brought her omni-tool up once, being careful not to ruin her little surprise. In under a few seconds Kasumi had quietly locked the door that provided a bright red glow to her delight.

The fuse box remained untouched. She was more than willing to change it's present state.

Kasumi delicately hacked into the system, making sure to target only the room she was in.

The power faded out instantly with a violent hum.

"What the fuck?" the asari spoke out loud with caution.

Kasumi focused on the clanging and clicks of the assualt rifles to discover the guards whereabouts.

She snuck up behind the asari in the darkness, inches away from her.

"Peekaboo," Kasumi sang in an excruiciating tone.

The asari didn't even have time to yelp in surprise before the thief dealt a deadly blow to the back of her fringe.

The thump of the guard's body resonated within the room.

The batarian did not like what he had heard one single bit. He brought his rifle to eye level even though he couldn't see a damn thing.

"Ava?" he called out frantically. He cursed under his breath and made a stampeding run towards the door. It was locked.

He leaned against it strategically trying to buy him self some cover in the formidable darkness.

"Shit. Where are you?" he pleaded. "Show yourself!"

Kasumi giggled before tapping the batarian on his shoulder.

The guard evidently jumped back and sprayed bullets in the opposing direction. Each bullet lit up the room slightly presenting a flash of Kasumi here and there.

"Fuck," he whimpered. "What do you want?"

Everything became deafened in the silence that followed, all he could hear was the uneasy sound of his own intakes of breath.

Kasumi took pity and crept up towards the guard. "Sorry, it's nothing personal," she exclaimed before attacking his weak collerbone. Within seconds his limp body slumped towards the floor.

At least he wouldn't be waking up with a thundering headache like the asari.

Kasumi turned her attention towards the door. She enabled her cloak before she unlocked it and proceeded down the hall. She couldn't control the cheeky grin and adrenaline that consumed her. It felt good to be back in action.

* * *

Shepard was in the middle of gouging a lemony drink she had ordered as Marla approached her table. Her pink hair was out of place and so were her clothes, she didn't seem to take notice.

"Had fun?" Shepard asked regardless of how uninterested she was.

Marla leaned her tiny frame into the booth. "Just business as usual Shepard, nothing more."

Shepard raised a questioning brow about to speak until her omni-tool bleeped to life.

"Shepard, it's Kasumi. You'll find your equipment in the bathroom. I'll be down soon once i've disabled the security systems."

Shepard gave an audible sigh of relief. "Copy that Kasumi, we will make our way there now."

Shepard shut the omni-tool down and instantly began working her way across the floor to the restrooms.

Marla remained seated as she watched the commander leave. "Hey Marla, thanks for getting us in. I ordered a drink for you while I was waiting. Really? Aww Shepard you shouldn't have," Marla muttered sarcastically.

The pink temptress yanked Shepard's drink into her hand and downed it with force only to be surprised by how strong it was. Marla gave a long exhale and squinted her eyes in response. She liked to think that she could handle the hard stuff, but that was something else.

Her bony hand flew up to adjust her shirt before she stood up and power walked after Shepard. All this revenge bullshit was hard work.

Shepard was already inside the restroom when Marla appeared. She was pretending to apply make up while she waited for some of the customers to exit.

Marla closely examined her surroundings. "I take it they are in here?" She pointed towards a cubicle that clearly read 'Out of order'.

Shepard smiled at the young girl and nodded. She had to admit Marla was doing good for a beginner.

They both entered the cubicle with haste before anybody could walk in and see the pair acting suspiciously. As far as Shepard was concerned she would rather have customers presume that Marla and her were lesbians rather than two well equipped bad asses about turn the restaurant into a bloodbath.

Shepard prodded at the briefcase on top of the toilet. It chimed open presenting Jessie. The rifle glistened under the peach lighting filling Shepard with a deep sense of appreciation. She intended to keep her promise to Zaeed and rake a heavy kill count with the beauty.

As Marla dived in to retrieve a shotgun it reminded Shepard of the other promise she made to Zaeed. It was this promise that she would have to fight hard to keep. If Marla followed her orders by the second then _hopefully_ everything would be fine. The thought didn't bring Shepard any relief, especially since the young girl that had to follow her orders was completely rebellious.

"I'm afraid she is busy right now with more pressing matters. If you want to talk business, you talk to me."

Shepard's head snapped into the direction of the mysterious voice. She recognised it. A voice that was deadly and promised things...

Shepard hesitantly stood on her toes and peered over the cubicle door that concealed Marla and her from sight.

She blinked hard at the asari who was stood against the sink, admiring her reflection in the mirror while speaking into her omni-tool.

Morinth.

It took a moment for Shepard to register it. She had let Samara kill her. She watched the painful battle with her very eyes. Yet there she was talking without a care in the world.

Shepard had to think fast. Screw rationality.

With a swift kick to the door Shepard crashed out into the open with Jessie trained on the ardat-yahkshi.

Morinth jumped back at the sound astonished by the familiar face pointing a gun at her.

"Don't move," Shepard ordered.

Morinth obeyed reluctantly. "Shall I save you the whole 'I thought you were dead' speech?"

Shepard cringed inside, but refused to let her expression falter. "I think it would be more appropriate if I laid that particular speech on you, don't you think?"

Marla had frozen the minute Shepard busted through the door without warning. She gave in to her gut feeling and remained out of sight with her shotgun at the ready.

Morinth didn't flinch at Shepard's words and seductively placed her hands on her hips. "You know I honestly thought that Jack was just being paranoid." She eyed Jessie with what looked like awe. "Looks like she was right."

Shepard took a step closer forcing the asari to back herself up against a wall. "How are you alive? I saw Samara..."

"You saw Samara what Shepard? Kill me?" Morinth laughed one of remorse. "She was so consumed with hate that she couldn't even recognize her own daughter."

Shepard was baffled and refused to speak. She was more than interested in how the fuck someone who's neck got snapped was standing in front of her alive and well, however she didn't want Morinth knowing that. The asari leeched on to attention like a drained vessel, the poor girl craved it.

Thankfully Morinth continued under the leering gaze of Jessie. "Have you heard of clones Shepard?"

Shepard nodded slightly. "I've heard of them, they exist but are illegal due to clones being castrated of their rights."

"Clones have no rights Shepard, that is a complete bullshit. I had a clone designed for me. If you are an asari like me then you can meld your memories on to your clone. Hence why she knew about my mother and resembeled me in every way."

Shepard's mind was overcome by what she was hearing. "What exactly are you saying?"

Morinth smirked out of pleasure. "I'm saying that you and Samara killed my clone that night, nothing more."

"Why bother with all that Morinth? Samara will only just find out that your still alive and come after to you."

"Oh I doubt that," Morinth voiced with enthusiasm.

"What the fuck is that suppose to mean?" Shepard prodded through gritted teeth.

Morinth approached Shepard slowly until Jessie's barrel dug itself against her bare stomach.

"It means, that a lot of bad things can happen to people in four years."

Shepard squeezed the trigger relinquishing a bullet into the asari's frame. The mere thought of Samara out of action due to a pathetic piece of trash like Morinth angered Shepard completely.

Marla had jumped out of the cubicle as soon as she heard the shot.

"Shepard are you okay?" she stammered.

"I am," Shepard growled. She looked down at Morinth who was clutching at her wound and yelping in pain. "She's not."

Marla looked overcome with shock. Shepard was completely ruthless. "Remind me not to get on your bad side," she murmured.

Shepard knelt down next to Morinth in a teasing manner.

"I'm going to ask you a few questions Morinth, and your going to answer them," Shepard ordered curtly in a low voice.

Marla sat herself on top of a neon red counter. She observed Shepard, taking in every movement and word. The commander could be pretty damn intimidating when she wanted to be.

"Why do you work for Jack?"

Morinth wriggled on the tiled floor defensively. "Is it true that you begged when your ever so trusting crew beat the shit out of you-"

The asari's voice was cut off as Shepard shot another bullet into her knee cap. It shattered with a crunching sound from the impact.

Shepard grabbed Morinth's face violently. "I'll ask you again. Why. Do. You. Work. For. Jack?"

Hot tears flooded down Morinth's face. The pain was excruciating like someone was continuously sawing at a nerve that refused to break.

"She...helped me with Samara," Morinth gasped in between heaving breaths that were doing nothing to ease the torturous feeling that flooded her leg. It was almost making her forget about the bullet that was shot into her stomach, almost.

"Is that so?" Shepard spat staring down at Morinth with venom in her eyes. "Get up."

Morinth unleashed an aggravated sigh. "Are you crazy? I can't even move this leg!"

Shepard stood up abruptly grabbing hold of the asari's golden dress.

She gripped it tightly and to Marla's surprise she dragged the screaming asari out of the restroom back into the restaurant.

The young girl followed Shepard as soon as she heard frantic screams that were no longer coming from Morinth but from the customers.

Shepard looked to her side pleased to see Marla ready for her orders.

The restaurant's customers were understandably frightened when Shepard appeard with a blood ridden asari in one hand and a rifle in the other.

"Marla, follow me to the elevator. Keep you pistol trained on anyone who gets too close for comfort."

The pink temptress grinned in response. "Got it."

Aliens of all races were screaming and running for the exit, some were even frozen where they stood. Luckily no one was willing to play hero today.

That was until two batarian guards barged their way down a curving flight of stairs with assualt rifles at the ready.

"Fuck," Marla hissed. "We've got company Shepard!"

Marla breathed in and out slowly, remembering everything her father had told her. Steady...aim...

The first batarian's head splattered against the restaurant's imaculate walls causing the young girl to pump her fist into the air.

Shepard's head snapped back at the shot to see Marla firing another round.

Zaeed had taught her well. But she had no armor, no sheilds and more importantly no cover what so ever.

It was like Marla's rose tattoos rooted her to the ground making her aim perfect. It was quite a sight to be hold. A flower of complete and utter carnage.

Shepard called for the elevator. "Marla we need to go before more turn up."

The girl ignored her. "I can take them," she yelled pinning a few more of the guards that showed up.

Shepard wanted to facepalm herself. Everything was going too well, of course it would be the teenager that fucked things up.

The elevator doors opened. "That was an order, Marla." Shepard's voice strained under the gunfire. She had to yell much louder than usual.

Marla budged but not from her own will. A bullet found her thigh and knocked her back.

Guards were now swarming in from all possible angles. It would be so much simplier and easier to just leave the rebel behind.

That was until she heard Marla scream her name, begging for her help.

Shepard ferociously growled a bloodthristy roar that toar itself willingly from the depths of her lungs. Finding a sudden divine strength, Shepard grabbed all of Morinth's dead weight and literally flung her into the elevator. When she was awarded with a satisfying cry of pain Shepard unholstered Jessie and charged towards Marla.

Bullets were richocheting off of a metal table that Marla had managed to sink behind as she clutched her wound feverishly.

Shepard had seen worse, it was the look of Marla's face that worried her. It was as if she had given up.

With a jerk of the wrist Shepard began spraying bullets around the large room. Like Marla she had no armor either.

Every guard fell one by one. The real problem unveiled when they found cover and regardless of their wounds continued firing at Shepard.

Luckily for her, she was fast where they were slow.

She pinned her scope onto a turian who was causing her more trouble than he was worth. His skull cracked audibally. Shepard shivered in delight.

While the guards were distracted Shepard made a heroic dash for cover.

She collided with the metal table to Marla's surprise.

Her face lit up. Shepard actually came back for her. Although by the looks of the deadly stare she was shooting at her, it was probably just so she could finish the job herself.

Marla bit her lip and tried to speak over the wandering bullets. "Shepard I'm sor-"

"Save it!" Shepard retorted loudly. The commander ignored the young girl and placed the tip of Jessie above the table.

She could get a good view through the scope from this angle.

"Marla when I say go, you sprint for that elevator faster than you've ever sprinted before. Understood?" Shepard kept her eyes pinned on the the guards through her scope preventing her from seeing Marla's sour expression.

"What about you?" Marla questioned. She covered her face as debris began to blast around them from the never ending fire.

"I'll be right behind you, trust me."

Shepard's voice rang true. Therefore Marla waited patiently behind the cover every so often applying pressure to her wound. For some odd reason her authority stood for something. She could understand why everyone followed her into battle. She was without a doubt a natural leader.

Suddenly short bursts of fire came from Jessie. It lasted for ten seconds until the room became engulfed in silence.

"Go!" Shepard screeched in what sounded like a war cry and rioted towards the elevator along with Marla.

The pair crashed into the elevating box with force as they heard bullets firing once again.

Shepard slammed down the button for the tenth floor.

A few bullets just about slipped through the doors and penetrated the walls causing Shepard and Marla to fall back up against the sides.

The doors finally sealed shut with a hard knock and slowly but surely the elevator began its crawl.

Morinth was still where Shepard had left her to her surprise. Things seemed to be back on track for now.

Marla braced herself against the railing inside the elevator. All you could hear inside the cramped space was heavy breathing, it was beginning to get unbearably annoying.

"Hey Shepard," Marla called out weakly.

Shepard casted a glance at back at her with a blank expression washed over her face.

"Thank you...for coming back for me."

Shepard felt powerless all of a sudden. A minute ago she wanted to slap the girl, scream at her, even leave her to die for her own stupidity. Yet the way Marla looked at her with those crystal green eyes...

There was respect there and a genuine apology.

"I promised your father that I would bring you back in one piece. As long as your leg don't fall off from that wound then technically I have kept my word."

Shepard smiled as Marla laughed. She had never heard her laugh the way she was now. There was no spite within it and no sarcasm.

Marla went to speak, that's when the elevator stopped. Both women jerked into a battle ready stance.

The doors opened at a nail biting pace to present,

"Kasumi!" Shepard exhaled with relief.

The thief scanned the sweating pair and the asari in the elevator. The more Kasumi looked the more she tended to notice. Bullet holes conquered the wall inside the elevator, Marla was wounded to the point where the blood was saturating her entire leg and the asari looked way too familiar for her liking.

She raised an eyebrow, "Dare I ask what happened to you two?"

Shepard half-smiled and proceeded out of the elevator with Morinth in her tight grasp.

"I'll tell you what," Shepard sighed. "Help me drag her and I'll tell you all about it."

Kasumi creased her eyes before grabbing hold of the asari.

Marla followed in pursuit, limping with as much effort as she could muster to keep up with them.

Shepard began to explain the situation to a surprised Kasumi who was hanging off her every word. Shepard was sure that if the thief had known the amount of havoc that was occurring on the ground floor then she would have tried to help.

The commander could faintly see a massive door at the end of the corridor. Jack had to be in there.

Her legs instinctively picked up their pace.

They slowed when she reached the door with the others, Shepard wasn't surprised that it was unlocked. She was sure that Jack had been expecting her.

Shepard dragged herself inside. The room was beautiful with golden drapes, pure white sofas and gawking chandeliers. But it was empty.

Marla's voice came from behind her, knocking Shepard's train of thought. "I don't like this Shepard."

Shepard dropped Morinth's body on the floor informing Kasumi to do the same. The asari wasn't going anywhere in her state

Shepard walked further into the massive room that contained yet another strippers pole in the middle. To her surprise it didn't clash with the decor.

"Shepard." The voice came from above her on a creme balcony that overlooked the entire room.

A tattooed woman stood powerfully against the railing. She eerily smirked at the group before her.

"Fucking took you long enough."


	18. Revenge Is A Dish Best Served Cold

**A/N: **I'm really sorry for the wait. Thank you to everyone who has put up with me and stuck with the story. I have been so bombarded with work, my laptop had a virus that wouldn't allow me to use the internet, and the biggest reason? DRAGON AGE 2 :D:D:D Many don't like it, I couldn't get into it at first but now I love it and I kind of can't tear myself away :( You can take a girl out of Ferelden but you can't take the Ferelden out of a girl! There should be one more chapter to this story, that's if I can get it done. Then Kill Garrus Vol. 2 can commence HAZZAH. I'm not entirely happy with how this has come out, I might edit it at some point, but you guys have waited long enough. So again thanks for reading whether you have liked the story or not. I appreciate you taking the time to give it a go. And yeah one more chapter left, which I am really looking forward to writing, like seriously looking forward to writing!

I do not own Mass Effect or Kill Bill (I'm innocent I swear)

* * *

There she was, only a few feet away from her.

A smug grin was scabbed on to her face while the rooms bright lighting reflected dark ripples along her crimson lips.

She looked much different from the last time Shepard saw her. Her hair had grown slightly. It was a dark brown that made her inked scalp barely visible.

"Care to explain your friend over here?" Shepard roared.

The commander grabbed Morinth by the shoulder as she flung her into the middle of the room where she landed with a fierce crack.

Jack glared at the beaten asari while in deep thought. She placed her inked arms onto the edge of the metallic balcony and leaned in for a closer look.

"Your just full of surprises aren't you Shepard?" Jack voiced with a shake of her head. Another sick smile ventured across her pale face. This time Shepard could not tell if it was one of realisation or humour.

Shepard remained silent and let her striking gaze do the talking. She had Jack right where she wanted her. Now was not the time to be careless and do something stupid.

"I take it that this is your idea of proving a point?" The biotic gestured towards Morinth's body carelessly as she began to slowly trail her arm along the railing.

The commander's body was ready to pounce at any given moment. In this warrior like state nothing could touch her. A blade to the face would not make her flinch therefore Jack's verbal attacks were coming nowhere near close to sending her into a blood frenzy.

"If I wanted to prove a point I would have killed her already," Shepard replied in a dark tone. "This..." she whispered bowing her head slightly to cover her growing grin. "This is merely a taster."

Jack furrowed her brow slightly. The biotic was easy to anger, always had been. Shepard wondered if four years had changed Jack. The familiar blue tint of the biotics arms springing to life gave her the answer she predicted: No.

"Look at _you_. The great Commander Shepard, sole survivor of Akuze, obliterator of Saren and Reaper slayer. We had you literally begging for your life and now your back again with a new set of balls..."

Jack's arms continued to flare with dark energy.

"Your going to wish you stayed in that coma!"

With a flick of the wrist Jack flung Marla and Kasumi against the door behind them. Jack was reckless but she wasn't stupid. She missed Shepard just barely on purpose.

"Maybe I should fill you in on the new rule of Omega Shepard..."

Kasumi and Marla tried to steady themselves and get back on their feet. Underneath their heaving breaths Shepard could hear the faint sound of charging foosteps, she didn't like the sound one single bit.

Marla gave a silent gasp as she held her already bruising arm. "Maybe it's the concussion talking but do you guys hear that?" she seethed in a low growl.

Her pink hair had glued itself to her face from the sweat that profusely weeped from her pores. Marla still looked in pretty bad shape from the gunfight earlier, Shepard eagerly tried to dismiss her observation. She needed to remain focused if what she was hearing rang true.

Kasumi whipped her head from side to side in a fast movement causing her plated pony tail to freely swing in the air. The thief remained in a combat stance doing her best to ignore the throbbing pain that was igniting her back.

"Hear what?" she questioned doing nothing to hide the worry in her voice.

The trampling noise became much louder and frequent. It was definitely footsteps and by the sound of them it was more than one person.

Shepard gave an audible sigh and stiffened her body. "Look's like we've got company."

A door in front of the trio flew open as well as two other doors from the sides of the room. At least twenty guards made their presence known and were now aiming at Shepard and company with precision.

Shepard gulped instinctively as she made note of every gunmen who's barrels were pinpointed on her.

Jack's face was smugger than ever now that Shepard and her acquaintances were completely surrounded.

"...Don't. Fuck. With. Jack!" the biotic yelled with a warrior cry.

Shepard reacted quickly when she heard a sudden click emit from the guards as they began to relinquish their bullets.

A bright red beam tore through the air, barely missing Shepard's neck as she dived for cover behind a bookshelf.

Kasumi had prepared herself the second Shepard gave warning and activated her cloak. Unfortunately Marla didn't exactly have the best reflexes in universe and didn't move an inch.

The thief remained cloaked and prayed that just this once she could override her cloaks capacity limit.

The shots were beckoning more towards Shepard who was now pinned down in place. She scanned the room as best as she could to see Marla attempting to add a few more seconds to her life by firing her weapon at the horde of guards.

The commander prepared herself to dash towards the young girl. Shepard wanted Jack dead more than anything, but the commander kept her promises and she wasn't about to let that ruthless teenager die under her watch.

Suddenly before Shepard could move an inch Marla vanished into thin air. It was like her body had became one with the oxygen particles.

The shots hesitated for a few seconds in confusion, only to begin stampeding to where Shepard took cover.

The bookcase was now getting torn to shreds more than before as smashed ornaments and other breakable objects shattered onto the commanders body.

Where the hell was Kasumi and Marla when she needed them?

* * *

The thief stole Marla in a heartbeat from her inevitable death and stormed to a nearby corner.

The young girl seemed to be panicking by the way she scratched and tried to cry out.

The little episode she was having was to be expected seeing as Marla never really had the chance to find out that Kasumi could enable a cloaking device. Also not having experienced cloaking for herself, Marla was understandably freaking out as an invisible force grabbed her and made her entire body disappear before her very eyes.

Kasumi attempted to hush the teenager as she tightened her grip.

Thankfully the sounds of guns blazing prevented the guards from noticing the teenagers outcries.

"Marla calm down!" Kasumi ordered forcing her hand to where she hoped the girls mouth was.

The pink temptress quit struggling hesitantly under Kasumi's hold. Her heavy breathing could barley be heard under the noise of heat sinks being dispersed at Shepard.

"You have to listen to me very carefully Marla," Kasumi explained in a cautious voice. The pair needed to make haste if they were going to help the commander.

Marla nodded eagerly in response.

"You are cloaked with me at the moment. The guards can not see us. Unfortunately this hardware has a minimal capacity of one, how it is cloaking you as well as me is by far a miracle."

Marla mumbled a sentence underneath the palm of Kasumi's hand. The thief forgot that she had placed it there in the first place.

As Kasumi's gloved hand retreated to her side Marla took in an over-exagerrated gasp of air.

"I said it might be because I'm really thin. Your Omni-tool probably doesn't even recognise that it's over-capasitated. It may just assume you've put on weight," Marla provided with a shaky yet humorous edge to her voice.

The thief mentally face palmed herself. She did not have the time to explain to the girl how incredibly stupid she just sounded and opted to get back to the task at hand. If, and only if they managed to pull through she might just tease Marla for it later.

"You see those guards on the right flank of Shepard?"

Kasumi felt Marla nod under her grasp.

She couldn't believe she was about to say this. Her plan was incredibly risky and foolish, but it might just work.

"I'm going to sneak you behind the guards so you have the advantage to kill them without compromising yourself. That's if of course you can handle four guards stealthily..."

Marla raised her invisible eyebrows as she eyed the group from across the room. The guards continued to penetrate the bookcase that Shepard was behind. Two turians, a human and a batarian who looked liked mass murderers and sadists due to the sick smiles on their faces as they shot each beam.

"Your fucking kidding me right?" Marla scoffed.

Kasumi understood the teenagers hesitation. If there was a possibility that she could screw up, the chances were that she would. As mean as it sounded that was the undeniable truth. The thief had little choice, they needed to help Shepard and they needed to it as quickly as possible.

"I'm afraid that I'm completely serious," Kasumi sighed. "I'll drop you off behind the guards and make my way to the other four guards on the left side of the room. When I leave you behind them you will no longer be cloaked so hurry it up."

Marla shook her head causing her cloaked pink hair to fall into her face. "I can't believe that you are making me do this..."

Kasumi stood up from her crouched position forcing Marla to stand up as well. "You wanted to be in on the action. This is it."

Kasumi jogged towards the guards with Marla that were flanking Shepard from the right hand side.

The thief had to do her best to avoid the line of fire, so she was more than thankful when Marla jogged with her instead of putting up a fight.

The pair landed right behind the four guards who took a two second break to reload and went back to creating carnage.

Kasumi leaned into Marla's ear, or at least what she hoped was her ear. "Word of advise," she whispered. "Try to take their shields down before you start shooting."

Marla did not have time to reply as she suddenly felt the cold mark of Kasumi's absence.

"Fuck," she muttered.

Marla chanced a quick glance to the other side of the room. The human's head at the far end of the shooting line jerked from side to side as his neck was snapped by the cloaked thief.

She couldn't fail now she had to prove she was useful or better yet just not die. Yeah, that would be good enough.

Her new omni tool flashed to life with a dull glow that prevented the guards from knowing she was behind them.

Marla tried her best to drain their shields but she couldn't for the life of her fathom how to do it. She managed to log into their network but every time she tried to override their systems she failed. The guards were bound to notice her soon.

In her peripheral vision Kasumi had finished off the last of the guards on the left flank and the men in front of Marla seemed to take notice.

The teenager gave one last shot at removing their shields, this would be her epic moment where she just barely saved Kasumi from a stampede of bullets...

_CRITICAL SYSTEMS FAILURE, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR ADMINISTRATOR FOR ASSISTANCE..._

"Screw this!" Marla screamed.

She shoved her bony fingers into her pocket pulling out an inferno grenade and smashed it on the tiled floor in the middle of the four guards.

The sound of a turian/human/batarian hybrid scream was not a pretty one as they did the burning man dance.

Marla pulled out her pistol dramatically as she bathed in the flames luminous light.

"Don't play with fire unless your willing to get burned."

Four shots evacuated her pistol as the guards collapsed to the now crisp floor beneath them.

Shepard had come out of cover to witness the display while Kasumi stared at the pink temptress completely awestruck.

The commander looked slightly proud while she crossed her arms momentarily. The thief just looked impressed, or was that shock? Marla didn't really care either way, she had proved that she was an asset, a badass that nobody could cro-

"Help..." cried the batarian guard on the floor. He clutched his shoulder which made a temporary home for his purple tinted blood. Marla couldn't believe she missed the headshot. All the others went down without a single word but this guy _no, _he had to be all different survive. How unbelievably rude!

"Argh you just had to ruin my moment!" Marla winced placing another bullet into his body, only this time making sure to aim for the head. "Wanker..."

Kasumi stifled a giggle as she approached Marla along with Shepard. The girl was proving to be more like her father by the second.

* * *

Shepard holstered Jessie and observed the empty balcony.

Kasumi turned to her old commander. "Where did Jack go?"

"Probably outside..." Shepard muttered in an aggravated sigh.

It dawned on Shepard that Jack was proberly waiting for her. Surely the biotic knew that they could handle a few guards regardless of how much they outnumbered them. She had to remember to thank Kasumi and Marla for their part. What she would of done without them...well she didn't really want to think about it.

Shepard confidently made her way to the stairs only to notice that Kasumi and Marla were following her. She turned her head to face them with an apologetic expression.

"You guys stay here, I need to do this by myself."

Marla scoffed. "No offence Shepard but you needed us back there. Just swallow a bit of your pride for once and let us help you. Jack won't stand a chance against three of us."

Shepard froze in place. She had only just met Marla a few days ago and the girl was talking like she knew everything about her. If Marla thought for a second that she was going to let them come and help her take Jack down then she knew nothing.

Kasumi scanned Shepard's face. She on the other hand knew Shepard too well. This was something she had to do alone regardless of the dangers. The thief grabbed Marla's inked arm dominantly but not in a way that would hurt her.

"Let her go Marla," Kasumi said calmly keeping her eyes on Shepard.

Marla went to protest only to find that no words would leave her mouth. She grumbled something incoherently and backed down.

The commander smiled a thank you towards Kasumi, which the thief replied with a 'be careful' expression.

With a slow nod Shepard ventured up the stairs with haste leaving the pair to wait for her return. At least she hoped she would return. Shepard didn't go through all this to not see the bitch suffer by her hand.

A massive grey door stood in Shepard's way. She opened up her omni-tool only to notice that a green glow emitted from its pad signalling that it was unlocked.

Jack could have made it harder for her. She could have locked it. Perhaps she really did want to see Shepard face to face, unless she simply assumed that the commander wouldn't survive the ambush.

Shepard's finger gently pushed down on the pad forcing the doors to pry open at what seemed like an exceedingly slow pace.

Once opened she was presented with a view of a rooftop garden. Exotic flowers that were shades of red, blue and yellow twirled around the far end railings while a small fountain poured water into a minuscule stone bowel.

The sound of water was the only audible thing that Shepard could hear on the tranquil rooftop. That and a faint breeze that audibly howled every now and again. It made her nervous.

"I see that a four year coma hasn't affected your combat skills," came a voice from behind some of the rooftops green shrubbery.

Shepard turned her attention to the source of the sound to witness Jack casually walk out in front of her and stand by the stone fountain.

"And I see that four years has done nothing to alter your personality for the better," Shepard shot back doing her best to sound confident and not lose her cool.

The biotic laughed darkly. Amused as she was at Shepard's statement never did she laugh one of joy or happiness. Her tone was always full of hate and spite. They way Jack saw it, the act stopped her from ever showing signs of weakness.

Neither of the pair attempted to make a move as they faced one another in silence for a minute as if weighing out their options. Either woman could simply just initiate a fight but neither did.

Jack clenched her fists uncomfortably. A tension was building up that she had no choice but to regard.

"If you've got something to say Shepard then say it!"

Shepard's eyes glazed over, not with sadness but with anger.

"Why?" she demanded.

"Why what?" Jack responded playfully or what was supposed to be considered playful. The way she did it brought a whole new meaning to the act.

"You know what," Shepard seethed with an unblinking stare.

The biotic shook her shaved head slowly as if shaking the smirk off her face.

"You deserved everything we did to you Shepard," Jack hissed as she spat her name like poison. "Seeing you standing here only proves that that we should of done a lot worse."

Jack now stood in a threatening stance yet she refused to move closer towards Shepard. Like the commander had said before, the biotic was not stupid.

"I leave the Normandy and you suddenly start taking order from Garrus, is that it?" Shepard slightly took a threatening position too. She had to breath in and out slowly to maintain her ability to talk instead of shooting now and asking questions later.

Jack's inked arms began to flare as a warning. "I take orders from no one Shepard. I wanted revenge, Vakarian just happened to be the one willing to track you down."

"Revenge?" Shepard screamed. She was losing her battle for calm now. "What the fuck do you know about revenge? In the name of the spirits how was my absence so cruel that you all thought it would be an amazing idea to track me down, murder everyone at my wedding and batter me within an inch of my life while I was heavily pregnant?"

Jack showed no signs of remorse. Ever since that day at the chapel she had told herself over and over again that Shepard deserved it. No one fucked her over and got away with it, especially someone that she had once trusted.

"You left without a trace! You left every single one of us to fend for ourselves when you damn well knew that we all looked up to you. I told you things about me that I have never told anyone before. Figures…" Jack trailed off remorsefully.

It was times like this that Jack truly hated her damn emotions. She refused to cry, if she did then her anger would become almost intolerable to deal with. The biotic sucked in the air selfishly and let her battle stance drop.

"That cerberus cheerleader tried to take over your position you know. Apparently she was the 'XO and had every right to claim the position'. It was Vakarian who put her back in her place. The crew spent months searching, thinking that you had been kidnapped or killed. But what do we find when we track you down? Your living a life of luxury, kid on the way, perfect husband, new identity...what can I say I was pissed at the time. There isn't no going back now."

Shepard's mouth hung wide open in shock. She took in a huge heap of air and let it out through gritted teeth. "Your excuse is that you were 'Pissed at the time?' What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Jack shrugged her shoulders. "A lot of things apparently, but enough talk. You came here to fight me did you not? So make your fucking move!"

A sudden blue shockwave began pounding its way towards Shepard as she leapt for cover behind a stone statue. She unholstered Jessie in a swift movement.

Jack remained standing in the same position "Oh I'm sorry, wasn't you ready yet?" she yelled sarcastically while her body became engulfed with adrenaline.

"Bitch I wasn't even aware that you started," Shepard stabbed.

The head of the krogan statue smashed as Jack's shotgun tried to pry Shepard out of cover.

Shepard used the millisecond that Jack took to cock her gun again to power up her charge and fling herself at the biotic.

The force of the impact caused Jack to fly in the air momentarily and fall flat on her arse.

Shepard wasted no time in aiming Jessie down at the biotic and pulled the trigger without hesitation.

Jack was quick she'd give her that, as she rolled to the side with haste and suddenly disappeared.

"What the-" Shepard began until a squeamish crack resonated from the impact of what felt like a fist colliding with her nose.

Shepard's body collided to the floor as she clutched her now oozing nose. Jack reappeared above her and quickly leaned in to wrap her bony stained fingers around Shepard's throat.

Jack locked eyes with her old commander as her face began to turn blue. "Four years hasn't affected my personality Shepard, but it certainly has had an impact on my capabilities..."

The biotic grinned as she saw Shepard's eyes not only filled with a desperation for air but the realisation that Jack now had more biotic abilities.

Shepard didn't have much reach over Jack due to the girl's long thin arms, but she was beyond desperate. Shepard tightened her fist as much as she could knowing fully well that she couldn't land a punch. The other option wasn't something she particularly wanted to see through but it was the only thing she could think of in her weakened state.

Jack pressed her thumbs into Shepard's throat applying more pressure. Shepard need to act now.

With a fistful of dark energy Shepard unleashed a groundbreaking shockwave of her own on the ground.

Both women were flung into the air as Jack's tight grip was torn away from Shepards neck.

As they both descended back to the balcony Shepard gripped Jessie tightly while still gasping in sweet mouthfuls of air.

It was time like these that Shepard wished she was an asari where she had the ability to float gently to the ground.

The commanders back stomped painfully against the tiles, as did Jack's. Yep she definitely wished she was an asari.

Shepard had to work quickly and tried her best to ignore the fact that her bruised body was an aching, bleeding mess. She forced herself to onto the balls of her feet letting out a silent groan of discomfort.

Jack was beginning to force herself up on her feet too. That was not a good sign at all.

Shepard aimed Jessie towards Jack doing her best to get a headshot as she swayed from side to side torturously.

The bullet had a hazy purple shine to it as it cut through the air heading straight for Jack's arm.

The biotic thankfully didn't even see it coming let alone dodge it.

"Fuck!" Jack swore and began clenching her arm only to pull away as a sizzling sound emitted from her thin frame.

She gave another outcry as the bullet seemed to be bubbling underneath the skin. The feeling was indescribable. Jack needed to apply pressure because of how much pain the bullet was causing as it burned the interior of her arm. Yet every time she tried to cover the wound it felt like she was rubbing her flesh into acid when it began to burn the palm of her hand.

"What the hell have you just shot me with?" Jack demanded. The biotic had been shot on numerous occasions but none of them ever felt as intense as this.

Shepard smirked eerily. "Jessie."

Jack's defined eyes grew wide presenting a morbid view of how bloodshot they were.

"Don't bullshit me!" she roared in her weakened state.

Shepard held the assault rifle under the rooftop lights to unveil the inscription.

The biotic's green eyes grew wider. "So the old bastard actually gave her to you?"

Shepard ignored Jack's comment and knelt down to her level.

"Since you have finally decided to calm down for a bit I must ask you: Did everyone who fought me at the chapel all do it for the same reasons you did?"

Jack grew silent for the first time ever over Shepard's question. She tried to sound confident when she replied, "Yeah."

Shepard retracted and felt herself become hollow and numb.

"Only a few did it for different reasons," Jack added in between breaths.

Shepard looked into Jack's eyes that where a smudged charcoal black around her eyelids. The biotic was not crying out of emotion, it was out of pain. Light smoke was still seeping out of the wound.

"Shepard," Jack called.

The commander hesitantly listened, unsure of whether or not the whole act might be a trick.

"Look, I...about what I did..."

"What about it?" Shepard replied sternly.

Jack gave an audible sigh. A slight smile introduced itself onto her face and for the first time ever it looked genuine. "Don't make me say it."

In another situation Shepard would have been happy with this scenario. But not now. "Jack, I cannot forgive you for what you did."

Jack tensed up as another throbbing sensation flooded her arm again. Her smile was gone now. "I don't expect you to. I know what it's like to want revenge, sitting there day and night just thinking about how you could snap the neck of the unlucky son of bitch who crossed you."

A five second silence presented itself as Jack's words sunk into Shepard. She was becoming exactly like her, letting a bad experience control her life. But surely her reasons were justified? Weren't they?

The fountain in the background continued to try and smooth out the destructive auras of both women as they pondered the given situation.

"I'll let you have your revenge Shepard, I owe you that much. But do not for a second think that I am going to make it easy on you," Jack warned.

To have expected more from Jack would have been taking optimism to a whole new level. This was the most Shepard was going to get out of her and she respected it none the less.

"Thank you," she whispered startling Jack for a second though she refused to show it.

Shepard took a combat position charging her arm with biotics and steadied Jessie in her right hand. "Ready?"

Jack cracked her neck and did the same trying to ignore the bullet cramped in her right arm. "Ready as I'll ever be bitch."

The tattooed biotic reacted fast by pulling Shepard in her direction and aiming her towards the edge of the balcony.

Shepard's breath hitched at the speed she was traveling and tried her best to move her limbs.

Running out time as she levitated over the balcony railing, Shepard was vastly entering the danger zone of what looked to be a long fall.

Using all the strength she could muster she flung her arm out towards Jack's thin frame with the intention of yanking the biotic down with her.

Shepard thumped her fist back to her chest as she caught Jack off guard. Unfortunately Shepard did not anticipate her last resort to actually work. The commander inwardly cursed herself as Jack came crashing into her hovering body causing both women to descend through the air towards the unyielding streets of Omega.

Jack gripped Shepard's clothing tightly while they fell and landed a punch directly in her face. Even though they both faced an inevitable death she still wanted to continue the fight.

The biotic was either brave or just plain sad.

In retaliation Shepard kneed Jack in the stomach with the most force the opposing gravity allowed her to have.

For what was only seconds felt like minutes as Shepard thrusted her hand towards Jack's inked neck and began clinging to it like it was a ledge she was hanging off of.

She had Jack beneath her trying to tear Shepard's hand away as the ground got uncomfortably closer.

The commander clinged to the hope that she could strangle the life out of Jack before the fall ended them both, however that option was becoming highly unlikely by the millisecond.

A few mere feet from the marble ground Shepard witnessed Jack's hands give up on trying to unlock the tight pressure pressing down on her throat.

Jack raised both of her sweaty palms towards Shepard, as if to strangle her back in a last minute 'Fuck you' only to release a golden swirl of dark energy around the commanders frame.

Shepard felt the golden field explore her whole body forcing her fingers to release Jack's throat in the process.

As she did so Jack smiled one of victory before she suddenly collided onto the rough floor beneath her, creating a cacophony of eery snaps and cracking sounds in the process.

It was only then that Shepard realised that she had stopped falling and was literally stuck in mid air looking down at the fallen biotic while a few bystanders took notice.

The dark energy fizzed against her skin, tingling her uncomfortably as Shepard was slowly lowered to the floor safely.

As soon as her boots met the ground the field vanished letting her muscles finally go limp.

Having never experienced whatever the hell that was Shepard rubbed her arms roughly. The dark energy manipulated her muscles and had tensed them the entire time. Only now was she able to take in deep breath and relax.

Shepard looked ahead of her not bothering to push the stray hairs out of her eyes.

Jack had done that to her on purpose. She had done it to keep Shepard alive knowing fully well that she could've used it to save her own life.

Shepard felt numb, and not just from the biotic field. A part of her mind shouted 'Good riddance' while the other half screamed 'Why the fuck did she do that?'

A struggle took place as Shepard forced herself to stand up. Her muscles were really starting to ache now. It felt similar to how her body acted when she was hungover minus the pounding headache.

Shepard reached Jack's body and knelt down forgetting all about the bystanders. She reminded herself that this was Omega, they wasn't about to call the authorities or even give a damn. They were just curious. Some stood in place and observed the scene while others took a quick glance and continued on with their night.

That was Omega for you.

A cracked gasp emitted from Jack's body that was snapped in more ways then one, faced down on the ground.

She was still alive, taking in small uneven breaths that stabbed her lungs due to a few punctures from her smashed ribcage.

Shepard's stomach churned. The Jack she knew wouldn't have sacrificed her life to save another. Yet here she was literally squished against the unyielding floor unable to move.

By the looks of it she was definitely paralysed by the way her spine had bent in a disfigured manner, and a pool of blood seemed to be oozing from the massive crack on her scalp that caved her head slightly in.

The part that disturbed Shepard the most was that Jack could not even cry out in pain if she wanted to. She was verging towards death in an excruciating way.

Shepard had become hollow from what Jack and the rest of her crew put her through.

She deserved nothing more than to be wiped off the face of the galaxy.

Jack's breathing was still shallow and hitched yet attempted squeaks of cries could just about be made out.

Shepard stood up from her position and unholstered Jessie once more.

The commander may have lacked sympathy but she wasn't a monster, she was not like _them._

With Jessie tight in her grip Shepard aimed her towards Jack's skull and relinquished a bullet deep within the biotic that suddenly ended her suffering.

A few bystanders jumped at the sound of the shot and quickened the pace away from the scene, where as some were unfazed by it.

Jack stopped breathing the minute Shepard pulled the trigger and a heavy silence took place.

So this is what revenge felt like?

* * *

After the long fight Marla and Kasumi were quick to the scene struggling to pull Shepard back to the Normandy.

The commander had hoped to feel something, anything. Sadness? Guilt? Happiness? Relief?

Yet she just remained numb.

'Revenge is a dish best served cold'. What they don't tell you is how cold it leaves you once it has been served.

Shepard needed to take her mind off it and focus on her next target. Regardless of how empty she felt, she refused to just give up out of lack of humility.

Once on board the Normandy a part of Shepard felt like she was back home, only the vessel was completely empty, hollow just like her.

Marla sprinted straight towards the toilets after seeing Jack's corpse. The gore turned out to be too much for the girl. Throughout the whole journey back to the docking ports she kept on gagging every seven seconds using the excuse that she had a 'very sensitive gag reflex.'

Zaeed, Jacob and Joker were all in the cockpit teasing some alcoholic beverages when the women boarded. Turns out that the crew didn't find the mercenaries hidden stash when he upped and left.

Smirks where traded and so were glasses which became filled with a strong alcoholic liquid.

Zaeed explained that getting the Normandy back was worth celebrating as Joker began to down his glass rather eagerly.

He demanded another glass straight after which received him a few uneasy glares. His little problem had become public knowledge ever since he crashed the Normandy into the citadels docking ports.

Shepard gave him an ultimatum: If he drank anymore then she would not let him pilot the Normandy.

Thankfully he registered it and didn't put up a fight. He adored the Normandy and wouldn't let any of his habits get in the way of him steering it again.

Joker couldn't stop commenting on how the hum of the engines made him feel at ease for once. Life on Earth just wasn't for him. He belonged on a ship sailing through clusters of stars.

Now however Shepard found herself in the med bay, which seemed so dim and weird without Chakwas there.

All that was left was her bottle of Serrice Ice Brandy and terminal, otherwise you wouldn't have even known that the doctor existed.

"Shepard quit fussing!" Kasumi ordered as she tried to apply medi-gel to the commander's swollen nose.

The thief's hands rose again in another attempt to heal the wound.

Ah yes, Kasumi. The thief would not take no for answer when she practically dragged the commander to the med bay.

In all honesty Shepard just wanted some time to herself. In fact she desperately wanted to see her cabin. If Garrus had taken position as commander then surely that would have been made into his quarters.

"I said I'm fine," Shepard growled pushing the intruding hand away.

Kasumi sighed as she watched her commander lean back in her chair and rub at her temples weakly. Shepard didn't look like her normal self at all.

"You know you haven't said much since we brought you here, what do you think of the place?"

The thief had changed out of the outfit she wore earlier after finding some of her old gear in the port observation deck. It seemed that the crew rarely used the room since she upped and left with Jacob and Joker.

No paintings hugged the walls, there was no furniture besides a bed without sheets and the bar was completely empty.

Kasumi concluded that she would definitely have to amend that problem.

Shepard's expression went colder than it already was. "What do you want me to do? Run around gushing over how thrilled I am to have the Normandy back? Believe me that's the last thing on my mind."

There was no denying that the commander was still feeling the effects from the awful day she'd had. Some part of Kasumi had hoped that killing Jack would of helped Shepard in some way, yet here she was looking as numb as ever.

Joker emitted from the med-bays speakers "Shepard, we will be nearing the relay in just under an hour. Do you have a destination in mind yet?"

Shepard sat up-straight roughly smudging any left over blood from her face with a cloth.

"No," she muttered in defeat.

At that moment Zaeed casually walked in and sat on the edge of one of the beds.

He wasn't pissed but he wasn't exactly sober either by the way his jaw drooped in clumsy fashion.

"Let me guess," he voiced while taking a swig of what looked like whiskey. "All this, getting the Normandy back, being commander once again…It's not doing anything for you is it?"

Shepard rubbed her face and smiled at the mercenary. "You know me too well Massani."

The commander wanted to go after the others on her list. But she had no idea what had happened to them. No one within her current crew knew either.

It was like chasing ghosts, a bunch of people that didn't exist or leave anything behind to prove their existence.

"I think I know where you can find your next target." Zaeed crossed his muscled arms and raised an eyebrow as Shepard and Kasumi gave him a look of confusion.

"By all means do elaborate," was Shepard's reply.

EDI popped out of her terminal suddenly and orbited towards Shepard. Ahh she had forgotten about her.

"It is to my knowledge that she left for the Flotilla with the permission of Commander Vakarian," supplied EDI.

Zaeed snorted. "Turns out AI's can be useful eh Shepard?"

Shepard bit her lip in aggravation. "How do I know your telling the truth? He could of told you to cover up everything and send me on a goose chase!"

The commander didn't usually have a problem with AI's. In fact as annoying as EDI was she couldn't help but like her. The same went for Legion, wherever the geth was now.

Yet regardless of her feelings Shepard developed a sudden hate.

EDI blinked three times before she replied. "I was informed that Commander Vakarian was to take your place until you return, that his position was temporary. I must admit that I did not conclude that you will be gone for four years, 2 months, 3 weeks and a day however."

Shepard still didn't buy it. People that she had once called friends turned on her, it was only natural that paranoia would surface from her experience.

"If it helps Shepard, I am able to make my own decisions once I have assessed a situation. I can go against orders if I am required to."

Shepard winced as she mentally face palmed herself. "I'm sorry EDI but how is telling me this meant to make me trust you?"

"Ever since Joker plugged in the overload I am capable of making my own decisions. If Commander Vakarian-"

"Stop calling him that!" Shepard ordered startling Zaeed and Kasumi.

EDI retraced her steps and continued on as if Shepard's mini outburst didn't happen.

"...If Vakarian had ordered me to sabotage any goals you tried to achieve then I could easily disobey them."

Shepard began breathing in and out, slowly calming herself down.

Things just got more and more complicated by the second.

Kasumi tore her gaze off of the commander as a silence filled the med bay and faced EDI. "Well? _Did _he order you to do that?"

EDI hummed gently with the engines. "No."

Zaeed shot himself off the bed with a grin on his face. "Well what are we waiting for Shepard? We know where she is, and it looks like a little reunion might actually put a smile on that face of yours."

Shepard grinned uncontrollably and stabbed at the intercom. Zaeed always did know how to cheer her up, Marla would never realise just how lucky she was to have a father like him.

"You called?" greeted Joker from the speakers.

He sounded like his usual self for once. Ever since reuniting with him back on Earth he had changed in more ways then one. The Normandy brought out his chirpy side again.

Shepard stood up from her seat much to Kasumi's dismay and gave EDI one last glare before nodding in approval.

"Set a course for the Flotilla."


	19. The Beginning Of The End

**A/N: **What can I say guys? I love you! For your support, for your suggestions, everything! You made this possible and I just hope that I have delivered. I have been looking forward to this chapter ever since I started this story, in fact it was when I thought of this scenario that I was able to come up with the idea of 'Kill Garrus'. This chapter has been a major challenge because I really didn't want to disappoint anyone, but hey I have gave it my best shot. If there is anything you feel that needs improving then please let me know in a review and I will do my best to please. I have never wrote a full story before and didn't actually believe that I could do it, but like I said it is everyone's review, favorite and story alert that has spurred me on and made me believe in myself. Thank you so much :) Keelah Se'Lai.

I do not own Mass Effect and I do not own Kill Bill.

* * *

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Shepard snapped out of her day dream and turned to face Zaeed, who was nonchalantly supporting his weight on his left leg with his arms crossed.

It felt right having him here. Ever since Anderson joined the council Massani instantly became a father figure to her. Sure he was addled by his thirst for revenge at first but after all that mess with Vido was over with they began to bond. He did make sure to let her know beforehand however that he still considered her to be a complete bitch for letting Vido get away. Of course the commander responded by reminding Zaeed that he was a complete bastard for not wanting to save the hostages. They had a mutual understanding and agreed to disagree.

Shepard had always enjoyed hearing his stories of being a mercenary when he was younger, that and the fact he always had a bottle of strong whiskey lurking somewhere in the starboard cargo area. Sometimes Jack came up from her little dungeon that helped her maintain a strong distance from the rest of the crew and joined the two for a drink. Shepard was certain that Zaeed considered himself a teacher of some sort to the young women and he seemed to like it that way.

The trio hardly agreed on anything, they were completely different to one another, yet after a few shots they would all be sharing stories and having a laugh. Jack always laughed or smiled because of someone's pain. There was always a hidden message behind every nice expression she revealed. But that was just the way she was. Back then on the Normandy Jack practically shoved the liquor down her inked throat. For such a small and skinny woman Jack could hold he drink. The only effect it really had on the biotic was that it made her very talkative. Jack ended up telling Zaeed and Shepard some pretty disturbing stories about her time on Pragia and stories of what she did when she escaped.

Shepard could understand why Jack was as upset as she was when she found out she wasn't dead. The biotic had placed all her trust in her commander after being betrayed time and time again. But it didn't excuse what she did, it would never excuse what she did.

"Yes," was Shepard's one worded response.

She had not come all the way here to hesitate and back down now, regardless of the uneasy feeling forming in the pit of her stomach.

"Fair enough," Zaeed shrugged.

The mercenary continued to follow Shepard through the narrow halls of the vessel. He wasn't to keen on wearing a helmet but did so in the end when he realised he would just be drawing more attention to Shepard and himself.

The commander had asked him if he would would accompany her, not to cover her six, not to provide cover fire, but to give her support.

She had left the others back on the Normandy awaiting their return. The looks on their faces spoke for them. They wasn't too sure about Shepard going through with this, yet neither of them said a single word to stop her.

They had both boarded the Flotilla about forty minutes ago and were attracting more attention than they wanted. It wasn't everyday that a two humans were seen wandering around on a quarian vessel.

The flotilla was still overcrowded with a heavy morbid feel to it. You would have thought that after four years some things would of changed?

Luxury was something that didn't exist among the quarians. Everything was shared and nothing was wasted. The ideology seemed nice until you released how hard it was to live like that.

The pair approached the place they was looking for in the living area. Nothing about it stood out from the rest of apartments which was filled with other quarians.

Shepard froze for a second. She had to do this. There was no compromise.

Zaeed noted his commander's staled movement and sighed.

"If you need me, I'll be in there faster than you can say 'Help'" he offered.

The mercenary did not intend for his sentence to be a joke. He truly meant it. Nothing was going to happen to Shepard on his watch.

The commander would have smiled but that moment of affection was dimmed by the overpowering feeling of anger.

She gave a stern nod and headed towards the door leaving Zaeed down the hall ready to pounce at any given moment.

Her fist made contact with the intercom on the right hand side of the door. It was now or never.

"Yes?" came a distinctive feminine voice from the over end.

Shepard took a deep breath in order to stop her voice from shaking when she spoke.

"Is this Tali Zorah? I have a package here for you that I need you to sign."

The voice on the other end hesitated for a few seconds causing Shepard to gulp unintentionally.

"I don't remember ordering anything..." Tali replied in a suspicious tone.

"To my understanding it's from an old friend," Shepard tested doing her best to sound formal and neutral.

She was used to doing things on the spot when there were crucial odds at stake but never when it involved her friends. Scratch that, _ex-friends_.

The intercom cut off abruptly and Shepard began to feel her whole body turn to fire as rage consumed her.

That's when the door opened.

"Where's the package?...Oh keela-"

Tali's voice was cut off as Shepard's boot made contact with her stomach slamming her back into her home.

What Shepard would have gave to have seen Tali's expression when she saw her old commander before her.

The adrenaline just came so easy for Shepard. As soon as she realised that Tali was standing directly in front of her, it was her body that spoke first not her brain.

Shepard lunged for the quarian on the floor as the door sealed shut behind her, encasing the rampaging pair inside the compact apartment.

The commander's fists were blocked by Tali's evasive maneuvers as she did her best to fight Shepard off of her.

The two women struggled on the beige tiled floor for a few seconds before Tali managed to grab a nearby ornament and smash it straight onto Shepard's skull.

It was an expensive glass ornament of an asari flower that only grew on Thessia. However it had no sentimental value, hence the reason why fragments of the art piece were sprinkling from Shepard's jet black hair to the floor.

As the commander was crouched down wincing in pain Tali quickly scrambled to her feet and took a combat position, leaving only the metal coffee table that the ornament once rested on between them.

Shepard slowly did the same as she clutched her head. Blood was weeping from her wound and she was beginning to feel the fatigue of it.

She did her best to look past Tali's helmet into her glowing eyes. "Resorting to weapons now are we?"

Tali smiled even though her old commander could not acknowledge it. A bit of conversation was always welcome but she knew Shepard too well, she was trying to distract her in her weakened state.

"My apologies," Tali replied still out of breath. "You never told me that we was going to play fair!"

As soon as the last word escaped her lips her deftly hands yanked a chrome shotgun from behind her grey sofa.

Completely forgetting about her head injury Shepard kicked the coffee table on it's side and dived for cover behind it, barely missing a shot from Tali's shotgun.

The shells had impacted the creme wall behind her leaving a charred black mark that sizzled and seeped with charcoal smoke.

Before Tali could cock her shotgun again, Shepard rapidly snatched Jessie from her back and instantly brought her to life by blind firing over the metal table in which she took cover.

The quarian was half expecting a retort like that and half not. She had admittedly lost control of the situation and was trying to avoid the rush of bullets skillfully.

Only one managed to make contact with her. One was all it took.

Shepard peered out of her cover reluctantly to see see Tali drop her shotgun and frantically throw her gloved hands to her helmet.

The acid based bullet had dispelled onto Tali's helmet instead of drilling itself straight through the quarians skull. It was by far a miracle. On the other hand it had weakened the masks material in a shattering way, literally. Visible cracks could be made out from Shepard's position and the relentless acid was not helping with keeping the helmet in one piece.

This was the commander's chance. She lacked mercy and sympathy all this time, she'll be damned if she was going to show any signs of those emotions now.

Shepard leapt to her feet again, cursing the throbbing wound that occupied her head and yanked a fistful of a frantic Tali's uniform by the hand.

Without hesitation Shepard slammed the quarian face first into a nearby wall repeatedly, making each slam harder than the first.

The wall was beginning to show signs of Shepard's brutality, but she didn't care. She wanted Tali to suffer painfully by her hand.

A clattering noise emitted from the violet tinted glass colliding with the tiled floor, as Tali felt natural oxygen make contact with her face in a most unpleasant way.

Suddenly the intercom beeped causing Shepard to pause her movements but not let go of the quarian. She wasn't going to take any chances.

"Mom?" came a timid voice over the speaker. "Mom it's me!"

Shepard went paler than she already was and her stomach churned like she was ready to be sick.

Her eyes watered slightly with rage. "Mom?" she seethed into Tali's ear.

Tali felt weak and powerless. But the moment that intercom beeped her heart sank and she found a new spark of energy.

"Shepard please," Tali begged while she was still helplessly shoved up against the wall, with her helmet broken. "She knows the pass-code to let herself in if I'm not here."

Shepard looked back at the door as she heard the sound of buttons being tapped from outside. So much for Zaeed helping her out.

She shook her head in defeat and hesitantly loosened her grip on Tali completely as the front door opened.

In a single tense second a young quarian girl carelessly entered but froze in her footsteps as she noted the obliterated living room and battered women. One being her mother and another being a complete stranger.

Shepard had never laid eyes on a quarian child before. The girl looked so tiny and fragile like she could break at any minute. Her suit was a suede color of gold that sparkled only slightly under the living rooms automatic lights. Her helmet was a smooth gray and her delicate three fingers were clinging onto what looked like a data-pad.

"Chichi, had a good day learning about the Neema?" Tali asked with an alarmingly calm voice.

The young quarian stared back and forth between Shepard and her mother. They both looked like they had been in a war-zone.

"Mom what happened to your helmet?" the younger girl pointed with her finger towards Tali's visible face that Shepard hadn't had a chance to look at yet. Mind you at the time when she was smashing her helmet to pieces Shepard didn't really care.

"Ahh," Tali remembered, instantly beginning to worry about becoming sick but remained focused on her daughter being reassured. "I was just showing my old friend Shepard over here my combat drone Chiktikka, she acted like boshtet and went into combat mode thinking we were both hostiles that's all."

From the corner of her visible eye Tali noticed Shepard raising a questioning eyebrow, but chose to ignore it.

"I thought Chicktikka was a VI not an AI?" the young girl questioned innocently.

For such a young child she was smart, she knew that something about her mothers story didn't add up.

Tali mentally face-palmed herself. Of course her daughter knew she was lying, she would be surprised if she bought the story.

"I'll explain it to you later dear," she smiled. "Now head off to your room, it isn't safe in here, I don't want you getting hurt."

Shepard was able to read what Tali was insinuating, and took the comment pretty hard. Tali really thought she would harm her daughter?

"From the broken glass of course," Shepard added suddenly, receiving a stern glare from a concerned Tali.

Shepard could just about make out the girl's eyes behind the helmet, she was staring directly towards the commander.

"Hey," Shepard said awkwardly. "I'm Shepard, I used to work with your mother." She smiled doing her best to sound harmless, the girl obviously knew something was wrong. "What's your name?"

The girl remained silent. Shepard couldn't blame her. Right now she was the most suspicious person in the room.

"It's okay," Shepard whispered understandably. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

"My name's Ch'tatai Reegar nar Neema."

"Ch'tatai_ Reegar_ huh?" Shepard acknowledged putting emphasis on her family name. She stared at Tali awaiting an explanation but she remained silent.

The commander turned her attention back to the girl and knelt down. She wanted to do everything in her power not to look intimidating.

"How old are you Ch'tatai?"

Tali spoke for her daughter as she uneasily watched Shepard, ready to strike if she needed to. Ch'tatai meant the universe to her she wasn't going to let Shepard try anything.

"She is four."

Shepard looked down at the tiled floor that had blood stains and glass occupying it's area and faced Ch'tatai once again.

"You know you are quite intelligent for a four year old," Shepard smiled. "I had a son once, he would have been four by now..."

Tears desperately wanted to escape Shepard's eyes but she refused to let that happen. Her emotion couldn't dictate her actions, not now that she had Tali's daughter before her observing everything she did cautiously.

Tali swallowed a massive lump in her throat as Shepard trailed off from her sentence. To say that she didn't feel guilty would have been a lie. Of course she felt guilty.

All that mattered at the moment however was ensuring Ch'tatai's safety, nothing else.

The quarian slowly approached her child and knelt down beside Shepard who seemed to be lost in her own thoughts as she stared at Ch'tatai.

"Why don't you go to your room Chichi, Shepard and I are going to have a grown up talk." Tali placed a reasurring hand on her daughters shoulder.

"Where are you going?"

"Nedas Chichi. I'll be right here. Just go to your room."

Ch'tatai reluctantly nodded and headed towards a door at the end of the tiny living room, every so often chancing a look back at the pair and sealed the door shut behind her.

Tali sighed heavily in defeat. "Want a drink?"

Shepard faced the quarian beside her with a grin. "Do you have anything that isn't dextro-based?"

Tali blinked out of embarrasment. "I...have water?"

"Water would be great."

The pair both got up on their feet with a huff, the fight they had earlier had taken up most of their energy.

Tali made her way to the kitchen which was also ridiculously tiny and began pouring her former commander a glass of water from a refrigerated jug.

A large area of Tali's helmet was broken, no thanks to Shepard. You could clearly see the color of her skin, her eyes, her lips. Shepard would have taken the time to admire the sight and appreciate it, that of course would have been back before Tali decided to turn against her. At this very moment it didn't faze her the slightest. Her curiosity had been sated but that was about it.

Tali's skin was a a shimmering silver like she had rubbed body glitter all over her face only it didn't look tacky. Her eyes were about the most extraordinary thing about her. Her pupil was a creamy white, her iris was very small and a light blue to the point where it was hard to tell where the pupil ended and the iris began. Her sclera on the other hand was completely black. It was incredibly beautiful despite being very different. Shepard was not about to complement her though.

She leaned against the doorframe using it to support some of her weight. That smash to the head was not doing her any justice what so ever. Then out of the corner of her eye she made out a small picture on the side.

It was a holo-picture of Tali, Kal and Ch'tatai. From what Shepard could make out, it must have been taken when Ch'tatai was born. Kal still had his signature red and gold suit on, with his arm around Tali, but Ch'tata was inside a small sphere, like a bubble without a suit on. Ch'tatai definitely had her mothers eyes there was no mistaking that.

Tali placed the glass of water in front of Shepard and quickly began searching for her herbal supplements and immune boosters.

"Ch'tatai's beautiful," Shepard said suddenly destroying the heavy silence. "You and Kal are lucky to have her."

"I'm surprised you didn't try to attack her too," Tali murmured speaking her mind as she found what she was looking for. She made sure to keep her eyes away from Shepard's penetrating gaze when she said it.

"I'm surprised that you thought I would," Shepard growled in disgust. "I'm not a monster like you."

Tali immediately dropped what she was holding and turned to face her former commander. Shepard had never looked at her like that before, the guilt just kept coming and coming.

"Shepard I'm-"

"What?" Shepard interrupted barely able to control herself. "You're _sorry? _I'm afraid it is four years too late for an apology."

Tali let out a throaty cough. What she really needed to be doing was replacing her helmet not arguing about something that happened four years ago.

"I am a different person now Shepard. I have a home, I have a family, I have a daughter..."

Shepard finished taking a sip of her water and scoffed. "Oh how lovely. I don't give a shit."

Her fists were beginning to tremble, she could not believe Tali even tried playing that card on her.

"I had my reasons! It is because of _you_ that my people do not have their own embassy, it is because of you that we do not have a home-world to go, you are the root of everything!"

Tali whom Shepard had known for years was at a level of anger that Shepard had never witnessed before. Her eyes looked like they were ready to shoot by the way they were pin-pointed on her accusingly.

"And how is all that my fault?" Shepard shot back defensively.

Tali shook her head in disbelief. "You know how it's your fault. I hacked into you terminal after you had disappeared to find some clues as to where you could be. I find an email from the council asking you if you felt the quarians were ready to integrate within council space once again. The council were waiting on your word and you ignored it for your own selfish reasons."

Shepard gripped the counter in front of her tightly, if she was a turian she would have left dent marks by now. "If I had responded to it, they would have been able to locate my whereabouts!"

"Exactly, selfish. So don't you tell me of betrayal Shepard."

Tali injected a pink thick liquid into her the arm of her suit, sighing as she pulled it back out and discarded it in the nearby trash compactor.

"You do realise that you are acting very hypocritical don't you? You didn't let Zaeed kill Vido, you didn't let Miranda kill Nicket, you stopped Jack from murdering one of the former prisoners on Pragia...and as for Garrus-"

"Say his name again and I might think twice about not killing you while Ch'tatai is around," Shepard snapped.

She was willing to be reasonable, but all that would stop if Tali thought she could start putting all the blame on her.

"If you were in my position Tali you would have done exactly the same, so don't waste your breath."

Tali's head dropped slightly, she could tell by the way her former commander stared her down with her piercing eyes that she wanted her dead. There was no talking her out of it.

"Shepard I am begging you, do not do this."

The commander finished her glass of water off, savoring the last drop. "You call that begging? I am being very reasonable here. If wanted I could kill you, walk into Ch'tatai's room, kill her, then wait for Kal to show up and kill him. But I am not going to do that. You are the one that deserves to die nobody else."

Tali approached the opposite side of the counter never leaving Shepard's gaze. "Tomorrow we meet in the Neema's cargo hold at 2am. It will be deserted. Just you and me."

"Perfect," Shepard replied in a deviant tone.

Tali pushed herself away from the counter and began making Ch'tatai's lunch. There were dark exotic dextro fruits occupying her chopping board as she began chopping them up into a bowel.

"She is honestly a lovely girl," Shepard whispered suddenly as she snatched another look at the holo beside her.

Tali tensed up a bit but continued chopping away instead of turning to face her old commander.

"Yeah..." Tali muttered. "She's a quick learner too, I have no doubt that she will be an extreme asset to the Flotilla when she completes her pilgrimage."

Shepard smiled as she got caught up in some old memories. "She takes after her mother."

Tali stopped cutting the fruit and eyed Shepard for a second. Looking into those eyes were like looking into the void itself, they were so spectacular, unlike anything Shepard had seen before.

"Resorting to flattery now are we?" Tali jested lightly.

Shepard smirked. "Just because I want you dead doesn't mean I can't pay you a compliment."

"Keelah..." Tali shook her head in disbelief. The commander's mind was set. She had little choice. Ch'tatai came first before anything.

"Shepard my hand's are tied would you mind passing me that bowel next you?"

A soon as a puzzled Shepard searched for a non-existent bowel, Tali spun around dashing her large chopping knife in Shepard's direction.

It barely missed Shepard's head as she jumped out of the way, but it did manage to slice past her cheek the process.

She let herself drop behind the counter and unholstered Jessie yet again.

As she quickly rose from the tiled floor Tali had just managed to retrieve another shotgun from one of her cupboards. Seriously how paranoid was this quarian that she felt she needed to hide shotguns around her apartment within arms reach?

Tali was fast but Shepard was faster. The quarian had barely cocked her weapon before Shepard sprayed bullets into her fragile body.

The shotgun fell from Tali's hands as her body went limp with an uneasy gasp. Her delicate frame slid down the creme walls at an achingly slow pace as her wounds began oozing a cacophony of blood.

Shepard got up from behind the counter and crept over to Tali's corpse. She knelt down and reached out to close the quarian's accusing dead eyes.

Two down, three to go.

Shepard folded Jessie back up and placed on her back securely ready to head out.

Only someone was blocking the exist.

Shepard's entire frame tensed as she saw Ch'tatai standing before her.

The commander was actually grateful that she couldn't see the poor child's expression, it would have been too much.

She took a deep breath as Ch'tatai looked down at her blood ridden mother and back to meet Shepard's guilty gaze.

"I'm sorry you had to see this," Shepard stammered.

Guilt was beginning to cause Shepard physical pain as her stomach twisted into tight knots and a weighty lump formed in her throat.

"Please believe me when I say that your mother did deserve it," she choked as he eyes glazed over slightly.

What was she suppose to do now? Just leave the young girl alone with her mother's corpse while she awaited her fathers return?

Another shadow came into view in the doorway.

It was only when he spoke that Shepard realised who it was for she wasn't able to take her eyes of Ch'tatai.

"Shepard we have to go," Zaeed said sympathetically.

He noted the situation and it wasn't pretty. A child having to see their dead mother wasn't exactly something he relished in.

"I can't just leave her here Zaeed!" Shepard argued. She had no idea what other options there were but her conscience would not allow it.

Zaeed shook his head. He expected Shepard to be like this. He ignored the girl in front of him and grabbed Shepard by the wrist.

"Just trust me for once," he murmured into her ear a she struggled.

Massani got her as far as the exit when Shepard landed a forceful punch to his face and ran back into the kitchen to find that Ch'tatai still hadn't moved.

Zaeed chased after Shepard but stopped behind her when he saw his old commander kneel down beside the scared girl.

The atmosphere was incredibly tense, it was beginning to get to him.

"When you go on your pilgrimage," Shepard whispered fighting back her tears. "If you are still angry about this, I'll be waiting."

Shepard owed the poor girl that much.

Next thing she knew she was being escorted out of the apartment by Zaeed who's rustic face had a sore purple patch from where she had hit him. He hadn't complained either, he would have done the same in her position.

The depressed pair said nothing to one another as they headed back to the Normandy in a hurry. They didn't want to attract any attention, not after what had just occurred down in the living quarters.

Once on board and ready for take off everyone of the crew had told Shepard that it wasn't her fault, Tali made the first move. The way Shepard saw it, they should try telling that to the four year old girl she left behind who was now clutching her mothers body waiting for her father to come home.

Yet again Shepard felt bitter. It was like she could not stand those responsible for trying to murder her and her child living, but she got no relief when she wiped them off the face of the galaxy.

Kasumi had begged Shepard to not go to her next destination straight away. Apparently she was too weak and not stable enough at the moment. Since when did the thief decide to take up Chakwas' role?

In the end to prevent any petty arguments the commander gave in to Kasumi to her dismay and dragged herself to her cabin.

As soon as the door opened Shepard began to feel uneasy. The cabin didn't feel like hers anymore.

There were no fish inside the tank and the bed sheets were no longer a pearly white but blue...blue!

It suddenly dawned on Shepard that Garrus was the commander of the Normandy for a time. This would have been his new quarters.

A part of her just wanted to sprint back into the elevator, find Zaeed and pass out from drinking too much. However something was sealing her sore feet to the floor.

Curiosity always did get the better of her.

She stepped further inside and took in the sight of dark-green bottles of turian ale stashed underneath the desk where her computer was.

She pulled the chair out and leaned into the leather as she sat. The room even smelled of him, that would have been a good thing had he not decided to blow her brains out.

Leaning forward Shepard could see talon dents that were slightly visible on the desk and in the corner of her eye a holo-picture was lingering beside her.

As soon as she chanced a look her brain recalled that it wasn't Kaiden in the picture, and even if it were it should have been facing down.

It was a picture of Garrus and her at the celebration in Kasumi's room after blowing up the collector base.

It brought back what should have been a good memory.

When they had both left the confines of life support they joined in on the party again.

The thrill and liveliness of the party seemed to be caught in that one shot. In the far background you could see Jacob playing referee while Jack and Miranda tried to outdo each-other at shots.

On the left hand side Zaeed, Samara, Thane, Gabby, Tali and Ken were playing a game of skyllian five. From the looks of it Thane was doing pretty well, while the others looked bemused at a losing Zaeed who always took the game a bit too seriously.

Everyone else was dancing near the bar area in front of Garrus and Shepard. The commander remembered that Chakwas had become so drunk that she managed to trap Mordin into dancing with her.

Shepard half expected Mordin to put up more of a fight but a part of her considered the option that he was actually looking for an excuse to bust out his moves. The sight of both doctors doing the tango to 'Club Kicks' was definitely a moment Shepard would of loved to have captured on a holo-tape.

In the middle of the picture there was Garrus and Shepard. What stood out the most about the picture was that it wasn't pre-planned at all, everyone's facial expressions were natural to how they were acting during the party.

Kasumi had brought out some glitter pots to 'spruce things up a bit'. After that night when everyone went to their quarters ready to nurse a hangover, Shepard was almost certain that they found glitter somewhere on their body.

* * *

A burning sensation ignited in the back of Shepard's throat.

She let out a gasp of pain and grunted loudly, drawing the attention of not only Garrus but some of the other crew-members

"Why did I let Grunt talk me into drinking Ryncol?"

Garrus' mandibles widened as he took in the sight of a drunken Shepard. He was nearing the drunk zone in a timely fashion as well, how he managed to stop himself from laughing he would never know.

"Would you believe me if I said that you didn't need a lot of persuading?" Garrus teased.

Shepard's body rose to a halt as she sat forward on her chair defensively. So he was going to play it that way was he?

The commander and her turian were the only ones sat at the table in the middle of Kasumi's room. 'Club Kicks' was playing after Garrus requested it, and was bringing the party to life one beat at a time.

Kasumi must have had all these decorations with her when she came aboard because there was no way she could have left the ship to go on a shopping spree.

The thief with the help of Joker had set up multi-colored fluorescent bulbs around the room, every piece of Joker's handy work hugging them to the walls. They flashed on and off at different times leaving the room in a crescendo of lively colors.

Shepard took notice of an opened jar of rosey pink glitter before her, hidden from Garrus' eyesight due to the amount of empty glasses the pair had piled up on the table.

She reached forward carelessly pretending to grab a drink but dipped her hand inside the pot instead.

Leaning back into her chair with the glitter securely within her slouchy grip Shepard leaned in towards Garrus.

He would have hesitated but the alcohol in his system was finding it very hard to decipher whether or not Shepard was up to something, after all she had that crazy look in her eye.

They touched foreheads briefly before he felt a powdery hand stroke his fringe firmly.

Shepard continued rubbing his fringe with the delight of seeing it sparkle pink under the hectic lights.

With their foreheads still connected Garrus stared into Shepard's eyes that were filled with mischief. For a commander she certainly knew how to connect with her childish side.

"Please tell me you didn't just do what I think you have done?" Garrus asked in an exasperated tone.

"That all depends Vakarian," Shepard whispered seductively trying not to slur her words. "What is it that you are accusing me of?"

Shepard did her best to look as innocent as possible in her drunken state and was near enough losing herself in the pools of Garrus' deep blue eyes.

She felt the palm of his hand brush against her cheek twice as she leaned in to his touch, still keeping her forehead connected to his and still absentmindedly rubbing the pink glitter into his fringe.

The party continued to go on as the pair ignored the cheers and growls of frustration coming over from the skyllian five table as Thane outdone Zaeed once again.

Next thing Shepard knew she felt a powdery substance falling from her cheek from where Garrus' palm had once rested.

Her mouth formed a gaping shape of an 'O' as she pulled away slightly.

"You cannot be serious?" Shepard exclaimed noting Garrus' ever growing smirk.

He had known all along about her little idea and had even been prepared to strike back. The cheeky bastard.

Colliding back into her seat Shepard lightly rubbed her cheek and checked her hand.

"Blue glitter? Blue glitter! Garrus do you know how hard it is going to be to get this off?" she complained.

Garrus was examining his own body glitter and coughed to hold back another laugh.

"I think the color suits you," he snickered only to have some powder smudged on his mandibles in retaliation.

"And I think gold suits _you,_" Shepard retorted holding a pot of gold glitter in the air insultingly.

Garrus wiped his scarred face in a slow dramatic motion causing Shepard to burst into giggles, something she hardly ever did. Mind you her body was knee deep in the alcohol she had consumed that night. Her whole commander act was bound to fade away at some point.

The sound of a giggling Shepard sent Joker and Kasumi running over with the thief's omni-tool at the ready just as Garrus secured Shepard in his arms ready to attack her with more glitter.

A sudden snap sounded as Kasumi grinned and took a picture.

Joker leaned over her shoulder and gave his signature grin.

"Told you I sensed a money shot."

That was how Shepard found herself tearfully staring at a holo-pic of Garrus dusted in pink and gold glitter while he securely held her in his arms and attacked her with his own blue glitter. She was laughing so much at the time, that she couldn't fight him off.

Shepard's palms clenched the holo-picture in anger, but something inside her stopped her from throwing it against a wall.

She placed it down back where it had once rested so that it remained in her peripheral vision at all times, as she logged onto her terminal and began searching for any information that led her to the next unlucky son of bitch that crossed her.

* * *

Miranda stormed towards Garrus' office like bat out of hell.

The news she had just received was not only aggravating but un-nerving. Shepard was back with a vengeance and she had some of the old crew backing her up. Her day just got better and better.

Miranda was stopped in her tracks as she observed Garrus end a video call with a quick click of a button.

He stood up from his desk abruptly and opened a bottle of turian ale refusing to look at Lawson and give her the attention she desperately craved.

She had always had a way of annoying him greatly, she was lucky that she was such an asset.

"If you are here to tell me that Shepard is alive then save your breath," Garrus spat curtly.

He poured the thin mauve wine into a glass and chugged it down before he met Miranda's frustrated stare.

She crossed her arms refusing to be surprised of his sudden knowledge.

"Are you also aware that she killed Jack and Tali?" Miranda hissed hoping to stab at a nerve.

Garrus strode forward with his talons clasped behind his back. He could see where this was going.

"I am aware of that as well," Garrus replied towering over the inferior human. "I would also like to mention how pissed off I am about the news. Unlike you I happened to like Tali and Jack, so don't think that I am oblivious as to your own selfish reasons for wanting to inform me."

The turian was growling audibly but Miranda refused to back down. He needed to take charge otherwise she would. Her ass was on the line too.

"You do plan on doing something about Shepard right?"

Garrus turned his back to Lawson and briskly walked over to his desk again. His talons automatically went to refill his glass.

"If you must know, I was planning on letting her come to us. It is a fact that she will, it is all a matter of when."

Garrus grinned at the sight of Miranda's face switch from frustrated to shocked.

He would bet that it was times like these that she truly felt sorry for herself. It was too bad that her icy nature was what stopped her from being placed as commander. If she lost the attitude problem and regarded everyone below her to be on the same wave length then she might of suited the position.

However at this moment in time it was Garrus that was comfortable behind the desk, giving out orders that he deemed fit, and they both knew that there was nothing that she could do about it.

"I hope you are joking!" she snapped with both her fists clenched by her sides. It wasn't like her to lose her composure but this situation was beyond ridiculous.

"Do I look like I'm joking Ms. Lawson?" Garrus retorted with narrowed eyes.

The XO grew quiet and accepted defeat again. If she was going to wait for Shepard to show up then she was damn well going to be prepared for her.

Vakarian could sit in his office awaiting her arrival for as long as he wanted to, but Miranda had something else in mind.

She gave a slight nod and began to strut out of the office leaving Garrus alone with conjured thoughts.

"One more thing Ms Lawson," Garrus called out suddenly.

Miranda halted her footsteps momentarily and turned her body to the side to face him.

Garrus was slouched in his chair grasping his bottle of wine possessively. He freed a heavy sigh that had been waiting impatiently to escape.

"Does Shepard know that her son is alive?"

* * *

**A/N: **Obvious ending alert! If you have seen Kill Bill then you were probably expecting that, if you haven't then I am highly surprised that you chose to read this and I apologize for the major spoiler. However please do watch the movie, you will NOT regret it. Well guys thanks again for reading my story. If you enjoyed it and want to find out what is going to happen next then please be on the look out for 'Kill Garrus Vol. 2' which I already know is going to be a bitch to write. My brain is just aching at the thought of it. Take care Garnier!


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